The Screen statuette was revealed for the first time at Film City’s helipad. Suniel Shetty slid down a single cord from one end of the stage to the other to unveil the Golden Lady. That year Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s patriotic period film 1942 - A Love Story won seven awards with Hum Aapke Hain Kaun! following close with six. The Best Actor award went to Nana Patekar for Krantiveer while Ashok Kumar received the Lifetime Achievement Award. He cradled the Golden Lady in his arms and remarked mischievously, "Hope she comes alive tonight!"

In the second year, Urmila Matondkar arrived at the Juhu Flying Club aboard a glider plane and artist MF Husain painted his muse, Madhuri Dixit, live on stage. BR Chopra received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Madhuri Dixit bagged the Best Actress award the second time in a row for Raja.

The third awards function was marked by a celebration of 50 years of Indian Cinema. Lata Mangeshkar sang Bankim Chandra’s Vande mataram in its full splendour. Latadidi accepted her Lifetime Achievement award from Sunil Dutt while BR Chopra handed over the trophy to the ‘youngest’ actor Dev Anand who had driven down in an innocuous Fiat, the first car he had bought, and which reminded him that he had made his first film in ‘47.

The following year the theme was "Laughter" and a tribute was paid to the comedians of Hindi cinema. Mehmood, despite being critically ill, arrived on a wheelchair with an oxygen mask. With him on stage were Johnny Walker, Shubha Khote, Mukri, Jagdeep, Deven Verma and others. The number Jeena yahaan marna yahaan … from Mera Naam Joker was the ultimate accolade to all the comedians and it was sang by Nitin Mukesh on stage.

In 1999, the Screen awards sported a new look; it was bigger, more exciting and more eye-catching. The executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Art & Sciences, Bruce Davis,and Richard Edlind, its Governor and the winner of four Oscars and a six-time nominee, were invited as special guests. They felt ‘right at home’ at the Screen awards. The theme of the evening was love . Ajay Devgan and Kajol walked home, hand in hand, with their golden trophies for Zakhm and Dushman. Sunil Dutt was in tears as he was handed his Lifetime Achievement award.

At the sixth awards ceremony, Sanjay Dutt bagged his first award as Best Actor for his performance in Vaastav. Another surprise that evening was when former Prime Minister and poet Atal Behari Vajpayee won the trophy for Best Lyrics for the album Nayi Disha. Aishwarya Rai bagged her first Screen trophy for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

The seventh awards coincided with 50 years of Screen. That year Rakesh Roshan bagged awards for Best Film and Best Director for Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai.

Saif Ali Khan got stuck in a hydraulic lift that was to pump him on to stage at the eighth Screen Awards. That didn’t stop him from dazzling the audience with his performance to the chartbuster from Dil Chahta Hai. The Lifetime Achievement award was bestowed on Shammi Kapoor.

Sushma Swaraj, the minister of information and broadcasting, was instrumental in granting ‘industry status’ to the film industry at the tenth Screen awards. Rani Mukerji swung to Sharmila Tagore’s hit songs in homage to the Bengali beauty who was conferred the Lifetime Achievement award that year.

Hrithik Roshan recreated the magic of his blockbuster Koi … Mil Gaya with an alien brigade at the 11th awards. That year, Mumtaz came out of exile to present the Lifetime Achievement award to her co-actor of many films, Rajesh Khanna. Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini were voted the Jodi No 1 of 2003.

The 12th awards paid tribute to Tsunami victims with a song by 18 singers. The theme was Mumbai, the city of dreams and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black ruled supreme, bagging a total of ten awards. Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji were voted Jodi No 1.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti took home eight golden ladies at the 13th annual Star Screen awards. Lage Raho Munnabhai took home five while Omkara won four including the Best Actor (Female) for Kareena Kapoor for her performance.