Chennai: One of the most awaited and star-studded events in Tamil cinema - the State Tamil Film Awards brings together the biggest stars in the industry on the same platform.

Tuesday night saw the luminaries of this South Indian film industry gather together in Chennai to celebrate the best in the industry in the last two years.

It's not every day that you see Tamil superstars Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan on the same platform. Both actors came in to receive their respective awards for best actor at the State Tamil Film Awards function on Tuesday night.

While Rajinikanth bagged the award for his performance in Chandramukhi in 2005, Kamal Hassan won it for the 2006 release Vettaiyadu Villaiyadu.

Other winners included actor Ajith who took home the MGR Award for 2006 and Vikram who won the Sivaji Award for the same year. Vijay and Surya shared the best actor award for 2005 for their performances in Tiruppachi and Ghajini respectively.

But the film that stole everyone’s heart was Paruthiveeeran which won the second best film award for 2006. While the hero of the film Karthi won the special award for best actor, actress Priya Mani bagged the best actress award.

“It's a great feeling that after working so hard for so long we got recognition. There's nothing better than this,” Karthi said.

While a visibly excited Priya Mani asked, “Can't you tell by the glow on my face how I feel right now?”

“I'm very happy that I got the award especially from the Chief Minister and to get a compliment from Rajini sir is also an award by itself,” she gushed.

Though, all the big heroes of the Tamil film industry made an appearance at the event, the heroines were conspicuous by their absence. But on the whole, it truly was an affair to remember.