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Local emcee and actor KP Sandhu rubbed shoulders with Bollywood celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Shahid Kapoor, Ananya Pandey and Ayushmann Khurrana at the Zee Cine Awards in Mumbai on March 10.
The Singaporean hosted the international red carpet segment for the event, which annually recognises and celebrates the best of Bollywood.
“The highlight for me was the scintillating performance by Shah Rukh featuring his latest numbers,” said KP, 39, who is a die-hard SRK and Bollywood fan. “He gave a goosebump-worthy performance – a mash-up of Chaiya Chaiya and Ramaiyya Vastavaiya. It left his fans drooling and wanting more.”
On the red carpet, KP polled celebrities on their expectations of the awards, what they were most looking forward to and their upcoming projects. It was all part of Zee’s coverage for its international viewers.
“It was truly one of those experiences where you feel you were born to do it,” said KP. “It didn’t feel alien, it felt so organic.
“It was truly a matter of pride that a Singaporean got to do such a big Bollywood event. It was also a chance to prove I could go toe-to-toe with the finest talents of Bollywood and hold my own.”
KP was actually hosting the Zee Cine Awards international red carpet for the fourth time.
His association with Zee TV dates back to hosting the Singapore edition of its iconic reality show Antakshari, as the quiz master of the pub quiz Zee Bolly Quiz and other locally produced shows.
“KP’s Bollywood connection, passion and outstanding hosting skills make him an obvious choice for Zee TV APAC to send him to Mumbai as a host of the special international red carpet every year,” said Mr Sanmesh Thakur, executive vice-president and territory head, Zee International. “Flying him there for the fourth time is a testament to his great work at the red carpet.
“We are proud to give KP this opportunity, and make it all the more special for our viewers as he integrates a local flavour and brings Singapore close to Bollywood on the mega red carpet.”
For KP, the biggest difference this time was the return of Shah Rukh to the Zee Cine Awards stage after a break.
“I did not feel nervous at all. I was dressed to kill and someone as drop-dead gorgeous as Kriti Sanon checked me out,” he said in jest.
KP received numerous compliments on his hosting, wit and look. He wore a special dress designed by Singapore boutique Stylemart and was complimented by the likes of Kabir Bedi, Varun Sharma and Sanjana Sanghi.
KP played the antagonist in the Singapore-produced Bollywood film Shadow Assassins, which released in theatres in India and Singapore last year.
He said there are a couple of Bollywood projects in the pipeline.
“Both have huge action sequences, hence my physical training has already begun,” he said. “Shooting starts in the second half of 2024.”
“I did not feel nervous at all. I was dressed to kill and someone as drop-dead gorgeous as Kriti Sanon checked me out.”
