Anupama Chopra (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 14, 2015)

I've been to film award ceremonies all over the world ­ including the Oscars (stiff and supremely well-orchestrated) and the Jameson Empire Awards in London (untelevised and therefore cheerfully bawdy) but little prepared me for the opulence and sheer good fun of the Golden Globes.

At the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, the party started on the red carpet. As staggeringly beautiful and talented people made their way past the cameras, toward the entrance of The Beverly Hilton hotel, waiters dutifully served Moët minis soft-drink sized bottles of Moët & Chandon Champagne. According to the New York Daily News, 1500 bottles were served on the red carpet and 400 magnums were available inside. Guests were guzzling even before they reached their tables and it set the perfect tone for the evening.

Because above all, the Golden Globes is a fantastic party. Started in 1944, the Globes are hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a group of foreign journalists who cover the entertainment industry. Fewer than 100 journalists vote for the Globes and yet, over the years, the awards have grown into the biggest event in showbiz after the Oscars. Everybody in Hollywood shows up for the three-hour plus ceremony that celebrates achievement in both television and film; divides the best film award into two categories ­ drama and musical or comedy; and occasionally throws up the most bewildering nominees. ­ In 2011, Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp were nominated for The Tourist.

Their track record might be spotty but the Globes have come to constitute an industry celebration. Unlike the Oscars, the Globes are more casual and entertaining. The round-table seating, the flowing alcohol and cosy atmosphere makes it more of a high-glam networking event rather than a serious, awards night. I was sitting on a table fairly close to the stage. We were welcomed by Godiva ­ chocolate boxes were placed on each of our seats. Dinner was done by 4.45 pm and the show started at 5 pm sharp. What impressed me the most was that the ladies room included a make-up area where L'Oreal artists did quick touch-ups. In this room, on that evening, you couldn't be unattractive even if you tried.

After every two or three awards, there would be a commercial break in which guests would mingle and schmooze. An adjacent banquet room offered more drinks, cold cuts, a Godiva counter that held stacks of chocolate covered strawberries and another counter where guests could taste caviar that cost $4000 a box. I ran into Frances McDormand in the ladies room and spotted Joaquin Phoenix sauntering around. The room was filled with A-list talent and it was hard not to be dazzled.

The after-parties were even more startling ­ post-awards, several parties were held simultaneously on the hotel premises. The beautifully decorated pool area was taken over by HBO. On the other side of the driveway, Netflix and Weinstein and Fox were having parties in giant tents. The highlight of my evening was meeting Harvey Weinstein. He stood in his own party, surrounded by security.

As I finally made my way back to my hotel, I wondered: showbiz is a brutal business rife with competition, insecurity and nastiness, and yet in Hollywood, people can get into a room to applaud each other's work. A-list stars like Robert Downey Jr., Harrison Ford and Gwyneth Paltrow, who weren't nominees, showed up just to present awards. The speeches were heartfelt and the gratitude genuine.

In Bollywood, A-list names come to an award only if they are winning or being paid to perform. What stayed with me after the Golden Globes were Michael Keaton's tears, Amal Clooney's elegance and her husband George's reminder that there were no losers in that room ­ if they were in the room, they were already winners. Someday, I hope Bollywood can replicate such an evening.