Helen, Zeenat Aman feted as women achievers

New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) Yesteryear stars Helen and Zeenat Aman along with actresses Poonam Dhillon, Urmila Matondkar, Ileana D'Cruz, Huma Qureshi and choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan were honoured for their contribution towards cinema at women achievers' award show "Naaz".

Organised by the All India Mahila Empowerment Party here on Sunday, the show also conferred awards to actresses Neha Dhupia, Sana Khan, singer Alka Yagnik, tennis star Sania Mirza and Ghazal singer Lata Haya Nagar among others.

"It's an honour for me to be here in front of such beautiful people. I am thankful and would like to cheer all the women," Helen, who was accompanied by her stepson and actor Sohail Khan, said on stage.

Sohail said he feels "honoured to have two mothers (Sushila Charak and Helen).

Zeenat, who was prominent face of the Indian film industry in 1970s and 1980s, said: "I am delighted to participate in this evening because it really is about women. I have always been proud to be a woman, proud to be an Indian woman."

"I am so filled with pride to see that there are women, who are putting themselves forward to help the underprivileged and needful.a

The awards were presented to the women achievers by Nowhera Sheikh, President, All India Mahila Empowerment Party, actors Suniel Shetty, Bobby Deol, Sohail and Aftab Shivdasani, former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar The Great Khali and former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin.

Speaking on the occasion, Farah Khan said: "I am thankful to the organisers for honouring me. Every time I am asked that, 'What are you doing to empower women?' So, I have three children out of which two are girls and one is boy."

"I always try to empower my son, so that when he gets older, he respects women, equally treats them and never think that he is superior than them. Somewhere we need to empower our sons."

The event came to an end with a power-packed performance by Alka Yagnik.