Nawazuddin, Sonam grab's top award at IFF of Melbourne 2016

At the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2016,Neerja actress Sonam Kapoor and Nawazuddin Siddiqui successfully bagged the best actress and best actor awards.

While Sonam, 31, was awarded for her performance in NeerjaBhanot's biopic, "Neerja," Nawazuddin won the award for hisrole of psycho serial killer in "Raman Raghav 2.0". Expressing his delight over the award, Nawazuddin said "Iam thankful for considering me for this award."

Other nominees in best male performance were Ranveer Singhfor"Bajirao Mastaani," Shah Rukh Khan for "Fan" and Manoj Bajpai for "Aligargh." Sonam dedicated her award to the Bhanot family. "I am very lucky to be up here...This is a real story about a women who is only 23 years old.

I want to thank Bhanot family specially the mother who passed away... Its a film about compassion more than anything else," she said Film maker Shakun Batra's "Kapoor and Sons" and Leena Yadav's "Parched" also scooped the top awards.

Batra's directorial venture won the best film award andYadav's film lead the best indie film category. She alsobagged the best director award. Pakistani actor Fawad Khan was given a special diversity award by the state special minister Gavin Jennings.

Rishi Kapoor was honoured with the lifetime achievementaward for excellence in cinema. Expressing his happiness to receive the award, Rishi reminisced when his father Raj Kapoor thought of casting himas his younger version in "Mera Naam Joker".

"I remember when my father asked my mom...I went to myroom and took out a paper and started practising my autographs,"  he recalled and added that he came from a familywhich gave 88 years to the Indian cinema out of 104 years.

"We are very grateful to people like you who have extendedour legacy," he added. The 63-year-old actor said though being a member of Kapoorfamily made it easy for him to get into film, it was his hardwork that made him sustain. "It is very difficult. I was just not Raj Kapoor's son Ihave given lot of blood, sweat and tears to it," he said.

The star studded gala event that was held last night atthe Melbourne Recital Centerer saw special performances by Pakistani singer-songwriter, Sara Haider, Shalmali Kholgade,Suzanne D'Mello, and other notable local performers. Veteran actress Simi Grewal, Neetu Singh, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, Richa Chadha, Indian high commissioner Navdeep Suri, Consul General Manika Jain were also present at theoccasion.

This year, the festival has screened a variety of films, features, shorts and documentaries in 17 languages. Around 50 films are shortlisted for the festival. The theme for this edition is 'Women Empowerment'."AngryIndia Goddesses," will bring the curtains down for thefestival on August 21.