HYDERABAD: The presence of screen icons appeared to have overshadowed politicians at the inaugural of the 14th International Children's Film Festival - 2005 (ICFF) at Lalita Kala Thoranam here on Monday evening.

The one and only Sridevi, `Aunty' Jayasudha, an ever-smiling chairperson of the Jury Suhasini, hero-turned-MP Govinda, Tarun, `Samba' Macmohan of `Sholay fame,' Ramesh Prasad of Prasads group and Boney Kapoor represented the tinsel town.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy apart, the men in power included Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting S. Jaipal Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Ministers - M. Satyanarayana Rao (Cinematography) and Mohd Ali Shabbir (Information).

The presenters

Amidst a burst of smoke, caused by dry ice, and music, child stars Zeba and Kaushik appeared onstage as presenters. The former was comfortable with English and the latter stuck to Telugu. ICFF's mascot, the Golden Elephant was welcomed and a two-minute silence was observed to pay homage to late K.R. Narayanan.

And then it was the turn of the welcome dance by dozens of children who sashayed to an eight-minute number choreographed by Prameela. Suddala Ashok Teja's lyrics were put together with musical notes by Vande Mataram Srinvas.

The welcome was followed by the speeches and then the film "Chutkan ki Mahabharat" was screened.

Sridevi's introduction started with clippings from her films as a child artiste and went on to show her jiving with NTR and Chiranjeevi.

In fact, those in the `D' in front of the stage saw her looking elsewhere and not towards the screen.

Then it was Tarun's turn to be introduced. They showed him as child star in `Anjali' rolling on the ground and fighting with a baddie boy, before projecting him as a hero in a song in "Nuvve Kavali."

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