DUBAI: Dubai seems to be virtually always on fashion parade mode. If the Zee cine awards was anything to go by.

Forget the plunging necklines, rising hemlines, glimpses of thongs too. The latest and the best in trends were on display at the award show and, later, at the post-event party at a five-star hotel where the discotheque played popular songs from Kal Ho Na Ho. But not sported by the stars. The trendy and hip were Dubai residents and tourists who let their down - and with a vengeance.

Contrary to their Hollywood counterparts, Bollywood stars generally dress demurely for such award shows. Imagine mast mast girl Urmila Matondkar in a conservative dress compared to the skimpy clothes she has sported in umpteen films. No wonder she also got an award for a film, Bhoot, which was far removed from the glamorous roles that one is accustomed to seeing her in.

Sush Sen may have swayed to funky beats in Fiza revealing her navel and curvaceous figure, but in Dubai, she covered up for the show. Ditto for Esha Deol. Probably, the presence of papa Dharam, who still looks garam, compelled Esha to dress conservatively.

But living up to their image of sexy sirens were Shilpa Shetty and Katrina Kaif, the second host of the award evening. Shilpas neckline plunged just enough to fire up imagination and Katrinas black figure hugging western outfit played up her figure, which seemed to have lost a few kilos here and 
there.

As one guest pointed out, Love (referring to Kaifs reported romance with Salman) seems to have knocked off some weight off Katrina.

The gent men from Bollywood preferred, mostly, formal suits, except Karan Johar, who sees to be reveling in translucent shirts these days.

But an average Dubai denizen dressed more trendily than the stars and the disco was a testimony of it. Even as a couple of belly dancers swayed, people got into the mood to swing along with the likes of Arshad Warsis, Maria Gorettis, Sonu Nigams and Shaans.