Daily Times

The 20th Annual LUX Style Awards held on Saturday night were a star studded evening that honoured winners and announced Lifetime Achievements for three noteworthy Entertainment and Fashion legends.

The much loved event featured celebrities from the Fashion, Music, and TV fraternities. Due to Covid, this year’s submissions did not receive any entries in Film. The 20th year, a milestone for the LUX Style Awards, that has hosted many glittering gala evenings, was celebrated exclusively with limited media, nominees of the year, and performers, adhering to government SOPs. To assure this, the recorded show was an all-day production and was divided into multiple dedicated slots. The hosts for the evening included Mehwish Hayat and Ahsan Khan and the duo of Ahmed Ali Butt and Mansha Pasha. Every bit of the showflow, was designed around the #LSA4Pakistan and focussed on building up and appreciating the Pakistan fashion and entertainment industries. The LSAs are much acclaimed for recognising both the high achievers and encouraging new emerging talent and in its 20th year the show stayed true to its ethos of recognising Pakistan’s varied talent.

The day-long red carpet was magnificent as for the first time it included a live catwalk that was a perfect spot to showcase the many varied fashion hits that strolled down. Hosts Dino and Ayesha Omar plus a plethora of channels, electronic and digital were seen in action as celebrities walked down in momentous outfits. While some rushed towards the show, Asim Azhar shared his first LSA experience and music nominees; Bayaan, Baluch Twins, and Abbas Ali Khan sang snippets of tracks during interviews. The TRESquad featuring Hareem Farooq, Nimra Jacob, Maha Tahirani, and Sarah Zulfiqar made an appearance at the LSA red carpet together while Ali Rehman, Uzair Jaswal, Shahbaz Shigri, and Imran Ashraf entertained the media with their antics. The excitement and bonhomie of the 20th LUX Style Awards was evident to all.

The night began with the national anthem sung by music veteran, Shehzad Roy. Starting off the show, Amir Paracha, CEO, and Chairman of Unilever Pakistan took over the stage to welcome the audience to the milestone 20th year of glitz and glam.

Amir Paracha said, “Lux Style Awards began as a means to spread the message of Lux to the audience via fashion, music, tv, and film but it has become so much more. It has encouraged entertainers to persevere with their talent and continue to bring joy to their fans. The real meaning of the LSAs is the hope that comes with it and how it has battled during tough times, like natural disasters, political instability, or a pandemic. The LSAs have gone on without breaking momentum, transforming from a LUX platform to Pakistan’s platform internationally. Our hashtag this is year is LSA4Pakistan.”

With that, the show opened with a star-studded LSA anthem “Sitare, sitare, aasmaan kay tarey, keh raha hai yeh pal, aaj hum hain yahan” which featured a lineup of celebrities. The anthem was composed by Bilal Maqsood and sung by Aima Baig, Uzair Jaswal, Asim Azhar, and the Young Stunners. Many celebrities joined the stage such as Mahira Khan, Meera Jee, Ayesha Omar, and couturier Ali Xeeshan and show choreographer Frieha Altaf. Following this, Ahmed Ali Butt, who has continuously entertained audiences with his quick wit and humour, and Mansha Pasha, the versatile actress, hosted the music segment. The segment included Awards given to the Best Singer of the Year, the Best Song of the Year, Best Emerging Talent, and Best Music Video Director. It started with music dynamo Bilal Maqsood and Mira Sethi, wearing Hussain Rehar, presenting the Best Emerging Talent in Music award, won by Aziz Kazi for Shantarum, a meditational track. Friends, Asim Azhar and Uzair Jaswal presented the award of Best Video Director, won by Hamza Bin Tahir for Teri Tasveer by Bayaan. Recently engaged Aima Baig and Shahbaz Shigri graced the stage to present song of the year and singer of the year. CEO of Airsial, Ameem Hasan joined them on stage to present the latter.

The Unilever Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award was dedicated to Farida Khanum, known as the Queen of Ghazal during her active years. Famously known for her songs, Aaj Jaane Ki Zidd Na Karo and Woh Ishq Jo Humse Rooth Gaya, Farida Khanum has been a singer with an inner muse who expressed her identity in every song. A dedication of love to her was performed by Mehwish Hayat and Resham to the melodious Punjabi numbers of “Balle Balle” and “Meinay Pairoon Mein Payal Tau Bandhi Nahin”. Both Mehwish and Resham gave the legendary singer a heartfelt tribute through their energetic yet elegant dances, and Unilever Chairman and CEO Amir Paracha read out a befitting tribute, standing beside the lovely Mahira Khan on stage. Farida Khanum’s message as she accepted the award was then played out. Ending the segment was the fabulous Tabish Hashmi, a spectacular comedian who has recently rightfully earned fame. Tabish walked down to the audience and roasted some of the nominees, creating moments of laughter.

The second segment of the show starred the Laal Kabootar star Mansha Pasha and the brilliant Mehwish Hayat together. The ladies asked Asima Haq, Director of Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever Pakistan to introduce the LSA’s newly initiated LUX Change Makers Award. Asima Haq said, “This award has been created to recognize the changemakers in the industry. As a brand Lux has always endorsed a positive attitude towards everything feminine and this award recognizes the female strength of women in the industry that has created change in the world with their art and content.”

WINNERS

Best Singer (Viewers Choice) — Abbas Ali Khan for Mein Yeh Janoun Na

Best Song (Viewers Choice) — Bayaan for Teri Tasveer

Best Emerging Talent (Jury Vote) — Aziz Khan

Best Video Director (Jury Vote) — Hamza Bin Tahir for Teri Tasveer

Best TV Play (Viewers Choice) — Momina Duraid and ISPR for Ehd-e-Wafa

Best TV Actor (Viewers Choice) — Danish Taimoor for Deewangi

Best TV Actress (Viewers Choice) — Yumna Zaidi for Pyaar Ke Sadqay

Best Original Soundtrack (Viewers Choice) — Rahat Fateh Ali Khan for singing and composing
Ehd-e-Wafa Ke Naam

Best Male Actor (Critics) — Bilal Abbas for Pyaar Ke Sadqay

Best Female Actor (Critics) — Yumna Zaidi for Pyaar Ke Sadqay

Best Play Writer (Critics) — Umera Ahmed for Alif

Best Play Director (Critics) — Farooq Rind for Pyaar Ke Sadqay

Best Emerging Talent – Adnan Samad Khan for
Ehd-e-Wafa

Fashion Category (Critics Vote)

Model of the Year (Female) — Mushk Kaleem

Model of the Year (Male) — Sachal Afzal

Achievement in Fashion Design — Generation for Pret

Achievement in Fashion Design — Husain Rehar for Luxury Pret

Achievement in Fashion Design — Shehla Chatoor for Bridal Couture

Best Menswear Designer — Ismail Farid

Best Fashion Photographer — Najam Mehmood

Best Hair & Make Up Artist — Sunil Nawab

Best Emerging Talent — Sarah Zufiqar

LUX Changemakers Award — Haseena Moin

Lifetime Achievement in Fashion — Bunto Kazmi

Unilever Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award — Farida Khanum