TBT: Sridevi with Rekha, Hema Malini and Amitabh Bachchan

For an epic 'Throwback Thursday', we're looking at a Filmfare award show where all the stars - whether they were nominated or not, knew they were going to win or not - attended to support their film fraternity. Seems an era (and many PR managers and marketing teams-) ago!

Let's take you back on this nostalgic trip. 'twas the year when Black took the grand haul of all the awards - deservedly so. The 51st Filmfare Awards took place on 25 February 2006 at the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai, hosted by dancer and some-time actor Javed Jaffrey. Stale jokes and god-awful puns were there too; it seems like a signature of all Indian award shows where the scripted comedy is just ridiculously awful, with sharp cutaways to recorded laughs in audio and visuals. 

It was the defining year where Sanjay Leela Bhansali's gorgeous film took in all the top-tier trophies; Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress, to no one's surprise and for a change, no one was upset about it either as it was one of the rare films that was universally loved. 
  
However, for Bollywood fans, backstage of the Filmfare award show was were all the drama and divas were. Sridevi, in 2006 was still in her self-imposed hiatus; Judaai was back in 1997 and English Vinglish wasn't even conceived. 

With her eldest daughter (and ever-present Boney Kapoor), Sri arrived looking slim and svelte in a bodacious black gown. Sridevi strutted across the stage to give out the Best Actor trophy to Amitabh Bachchan. In the green room backstage, la devi met up with her southern superstar supremo screen-sisters (we do love alliteration for no reason here!); Rekha and Hema Malini.

The rare, rare, rare picture was captured for Filmfare magazine. Just when you thought that the star alignment couldn't be topped, Bachchan Snr joined in to say hello to the grande dames of Bollywood.

Wowsa!

Scroll back to our earlier post with more images from that glittering night here.

Legendary singer P Susheela lols with Sridevi: Legendary Indian singer and actress' tight bond

How cute and how gorgeous - Sridevi. Sridevi with singing legend P Susheela.

As we write this, the legendary singer is 82 - she sang several songs for Sridevi in her Tamil films, since Sri's childhood as a young star. Their closeness and bond is so touching - esp as Sri's so notoriously shy otherwise with non-family members.

Above: Maheshwari, P Susheela and Sridevi 

Aasha Bhosle with Sridevi

‎In an exclusive chat with the iconic, legendary singer, the divine Aasha Bhosle, she mentioned working as the screen-songstress for Sridevi! 

From her film Tohfa, Sadma to Gumraah, Aashaji sang for Sridevi for decades. She says, "I loved Sridevi, a beautiful face, such gorgeous eyes. I loved her in Nagina. And she was a doll. Every-time I meet her at an event, she runs to me and gives me a hug. To me, she's still a kid. I sang for her in her first Hindi film so our bond goes back over years. I haven't been asked to sing for her again [in the upcoming English Vinglish] but if they did, I'd happily do it. I'd keep a little 'masti' in my voice when I sing for her. She's so bubbly on screen..." 

 -- Aasha Bhosle. Jan 12, 2012