I enjoy watching the Nickelodeon channel on TV. While Spongebob SquarePants is one of my most favorite characters, thanks to my son who loved the show, we also spent countless afternoons watching episode after episode of Dora the Explorer and Shin Chan.
When I received an invitation to attend the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2018 show on 13 December 2018 in Mumbai's NSCI dome, I was quite excited. I mean, my inner child is always happy to see a larger than life cartoon character-that too my favorites!
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards is India's only award show by kids, for kids and of kids. These awards recognize and celebrate the best in entertainment across film, television, mobile gaming and more as it rolls out the orange carpet to celebrities and Nicktoons.
The 2018 edition was hosted by Kartik Aaryan of the "Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety" fame.
A bevy of Bollywood's brightest stars were there, including Varun Dhawan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Sonakshi Sinha, Huma Qureshi, Ishaan Khatter and more.
As 7 p.m. approached, parents and kids thronged at the entrance, waiting for the gates to open into the space themed venue. For the little ones, there were swings/slides and a mini jungle jim to play.
On another side of the grounds, cartoon characters mingled with the crowds. Another corner had kids enthralled by shooting foam shapes into the sky!
Stalls were set up outside the venue for those who wanted a quick bite. There were also props set up for those who wanted to take pictures with them. I did, too!
The venue was packed to capacity as the audience waited for the show to begin.
The evening was a glorious celebration with power-packed performances galore, awards, fun and dancing. It was nice to see kids enjoying themselves and screaming their lungs out as they spotted their favorite stars and Nicktoons take the stage. They weren't kidding when they said high decibel!
We're at the #KCAIndia18 and trust us the fun has just begun!!! pic.twitter.com/i2I6e3jpTa
- Nickelodeon India (@NickIndia) December 13, 2018
And of course, the evening was punctuated by the stars getting showered with green slime! I have to admit that I too was excited to see my own all-time favorite Nicktoons like Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants. And my favorite TV host Maneish Paul!
There were other Nicktoons too: Motu Patlu, Rudra, Ninja Hattori, Shiva, Gattu Battu and many more whose names are jumbled in my head.
The kids went crazy over Kartik Aaryan as he sashayed on to the stage, doing the KCA shake and kept the audience clapping and laughing all evening. His co-hosts were three kids who were quite talented and brilliant! Divyansh Dwivedi (from Comedy Circus), Dipali Borkar (India's Best Dramebaaz winner) and another kid whose name I don't know.
There were performances by music sensation Meet Bros as kids and parents alike stomped their feet to the beat. Alia's school days themed performance including Nicktoons Shiva, Motu Patlu and others was fun - but then she's always great to watch!
The performances that literally took our breaths away was Sonakshi Sihna - the energy was so tangible. Not only did she dance to a popular Punjabi medley but also played the dhols and nagadas for a full ten minutes-at least-all the while smiling away and engaging with the audience.
The awards were conferred in between music and dance performances as awardees proudly walked away with the orange blimp and a hamper of Parle biscuits.
The evening ended with Varun Dhawan's act as he made his entry zooming down on a plane, much to the excitement of the audience.
This year, the prestigious Nickelodeon Orange Blimp was bestowed upon various actors:
Varun Dhawan - favorite entertainer/ actor (male)
Alia Bhatt - favorite actor(Female)
Tiger Zinda Hai - Favourite Film
Ishaan Khatter won a special award for being the new kid on the block
Swag Se Swagat - Favourite Bollywood Movie Song by kids.
Motu - Favorite Indian toon Character
Deepika Padukone - powerhouse Performer of the year
Shin Chan - Favorite Show of the year. I recall watching hundreds of episodes of Shin Chan during my son's Nickelodeon-watching days!
Aakriti Sharma as Kulfi, Kulfi Kumar Bajewala - favorite child entertainer and the prize was a trip to NASA. Wow!
Kartik Aaryan - special award for being a Dynamic Performer
Tiger Shroff - Favorite dancing star
Huma Qureshi - Mazedaar Judge
Maneish Paul - Sultan of the stage
Many other kids from prominent shows were on stage, along with the team of Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma also walking away with awards. I even spotted Jayas Kumar from the SaReGaMaPa L'il Champs show. The 7-year-old Dance Deewane winner Aalok Shaw dazzled the audience with his head spins.
I have to mention the epic slime mania-apparently a Nickelodeon tradition and mark of honor-where Kartik Aaryan and Varun Dhawan drenched Alia Bhatt and Sonakshi Sinha in the Nickelodeon's signature Green slime.
It was nice to see actors engaging with the audience and the kids and being good sports about the slime.
The show was indeed an extravaganza and went late into the night. I must admit I was worried about kids being around so late-but they were with their parents and it was a special evening, so...!
The show premiered on TV on 6 January on Nickelodeon. Here's the full schedule:
Do you watch Nickelodeon? 
