KARACHI: Everybody who is anybody in fashion and entertainment could be spotted at the 2nd Servis Hum Awards held at the Expo Centre late on Saturday night. But long before the ceremony started, the Red Carpet came alive with celebrity interviews with the choicest of our favourite stars showing off their selection of designer wear that they sported for the evening.

While most of the ladies looked sophisticated and statuesque in their western gowns and saris, the men looked equally dapper and distinguished in dark suits and pinstripe double-breasted jackets. The mood for the awards show was thus set long before the actual ceremony started.

Once it did, the jam-packed spacious hall buzzed with excited banter about who was nominated and who would take the coveted awards trophy home moulded in the form of the Urdu equivalent of Hum to resemble a figurine in dance motion. And what good is an awards show without controversy, of which there was plenty among the buzzing aisles.

After repeated requests for the crowds to settle down so that the ceremony could finally start, VJ and actress Anoushay Ashraf came on stage to make a brief social announcement. Soon after, the stage came alive with youthful vibrant energy and a marching band with dancers et all, culminating in what was a brilliant presentation of Team Hum.

Hosts actor-model Mikaal Zulfiqar and Sanam Saeed did a more than decent job of conducting the ceremony interspersed with short and sweet personal jabs at professional achievements. It also led to the announcement of the award in the first category: music.

Emu of Fuzon and actress-model Gia Ali were called on stage to present the Best Band trophy to Overload. The Best Music Video awards went to Mein Sufi Hoon by Sketches while Sajjad Ali bagged the Best Solo Artist title presented by Alamgir and Ayesha Omer. The Best OST credit went to Dil-i-Muzter sung by Alicia Dias.

By way of special performances, the first was by industry veterans Bushra Ansari and Javaid Sheikh, who danced to popular yesteryear tunes such as Gari Ko Chalana Babu, Helen’s famous Flamenco-inspired performance in the Bollywood number Piya tu ab to aaja, the more recent Sari kay fall sa match kiya re and Tu mere agal baghal hai.

At this point, morning show host-cum-actor Fahad Mustafa took over the stage to announce the Lifetime Achievement Award for NAPA Chairperson Zia Moheyuddin for his countless literary and linguistic accomplishments, with the latter also receiving a standing ovation.

Writer Wasay Chaudhry known for his ready wit conducted a mock interview with a fake Bollywood producer/director called Karan Dheela next which went down well with the audience.

In the fashion category, the Best Designer (Women’s wear) award went to Hasan Sheheryar Yasin and Best Designer (Menswear) to Ismail Farid.

Best Model (Female) and Best Model (Male) titles for Amna Ilyas and Jahan-i-Khalid, respectively, concluded the awards in this category.

A zesty perormance by Hum Awards favourite performers Ahsan Khan and Mehwish Hayat followed to Tu ne maari entryaan from the film Ghunday, Ne mein kamli and Meri mutt mari. Bushra Ansari was the recipient of the Excellence Award which was presented to her by Javaid Sheikh.

In the TV drama category, the Best Sitcom award went to Extras, the Best New Sensation titles went to Sanum Jung and Ali Rehman Khan, Best Actor (Female) to Areej Fatima, Best Actor (Male) to Humayun Ashraf, Best Soap (Aik Pagal Si Larki), Best Telefilm (Behudd), Best Supporting Actress to Samina Peerzada and Best Supporting Actor to Salman Shahid, Best Actor in a Negative Role to Nauman Ijaz and Most Impactful Character in a Drama Serial to Sakina Samoon and Irsa Ghazal.

In between these awards were performances by Egyptian Sufi folk Tammara dancers who whirled in divine ecstacy illuminated with colourful LED lights and then the infectious dance energy of Shehroz Subzwari and Suhaee Ali Abro to Dum malang, Gun gunguna re and Gandi baat.

Samina Peerzada gave away the Recognition Award to what she called new-age films Mein Hoon Shahid Afridi and Waar, received by Humayun Saeed and Bilal Lashari, respectively.

In the Popular Awards segment constituted for online voters, especially international viewers and expartiate community, Zindagi Gulzaar Hai made a clean sweep by winning in every single category: Sanam Saeed and Fawad Khan (Best Onscreen Couple), Best Drama Serial, Best Actor and Best Actress.

A scintillating performance by dancer-actress-host Noor was followed by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s soulful, mesmerising notes which carried the awards ceremony well into the early hours of Sunday morning.