Salman Khan was billed as the lead star in the "Sensations 2005" show that played in South Africa, but it was new kid on the block Shahid Kapoor and fast-rising actress Priyanka Chopra who won more hearts and applause.

The show featuring Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Mahima Choudhary, Abhijeet and a host of dancers from Mumbai thrilled a capacity crowd at Gallagher Estate here Sunday evening, perhaps making up for a reported poor initial performance in Durban a night earlier.

Singer Abhijeet interacted well with the crowd as he opened the show with almost an hour of his hits old and new.

"You're eating fish fry alone? That's selfish!" the singer quipped to someone eating in the front rows.

Abhijeet returned later in the show for the second part, which kept the crowd happy, but after launching a "Salman is the best Khan in the industry" speech he promptly began singing a Shah Rukh Khan hit!

The lack of a female singer for some duets was very obvious. The Bollywood stars who participated in the show all performed colourful and lively medleys of dances to pre-recorded music, both from their own films and those of other stars, after making grand entrances on stage.

Mahima Choudhary was spun in on a couch; Priyanka Chopra was carried in a palanquin by four strong African men; Shahid arrived on a motorbike, and Salman did not make his usual dramatic entrance via a suspended platform or other aids, but merely walked on from the back of the stage.

Salman got the audience rocking, but it was the younger Shahid who stole more of the applause with his energetic dancing. Salman appeared to be a little tired and listless at times with his items.

There were two nice novel touches to this show.

The first was the involvement of comic actor Vikram Sathaye who broke away from the boring routines of comedians doing impersonations of Indian actors in Hindi that has been seen here in several shows from India.

Vikram was very good with his impeccable English, even if some of his material was a little risqué for the many children in the audience.

The second very heartening aspect was when both Priyanka and Shahid brought lots of children onto the stage. Priyanka was totally at ease with some of the very young children, while Shahid tried a few dance steps with one of those he brought to the stage, and then promptly disappeared, but not before girls who had broken the security barrier mobbed him.

A later attempt by Salman to draw in girls from the audience failed when poor security failed to control the surge forward of eager volunteers. Salman signalled to his dancers to bring up a blonde white woman whom he hugged and kissed on stage. Sources later learnt that she was involved somehow in the film "Marigold" that Salman is starring in.