Bollywood is bringing its glitz and glamour to the UAE thanks to this year’s edition of International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA), which will take place in Abu Dhabi tonight.
The extravaganza that draws movie stars from across India is being held at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
This time, the mega event is a three-day gala that began with IIFA Utsavam, a celebration of south Indian film industries, on September 27. Read all about what happened on day one of IIFA here.
Day three, on September 29, will be the invitation-only party IIFA Rocks, where artistes such as Honey Singh, Shilpa Rao and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy will perform.
But coming back to tonight.
Tonight, Bollywood takes centre stage, and it’s extra special because of its hosts, namely, the superstar Shah Rukh Khan, the Tauba Tauba sensation Vicky Kaushal, and the movie director Karan Johar. Many interesting things are planned, including spectacular performances by the likes of Umrao Jaan actress Rekha.
The Khaleej Times team is on the ground to report on things live, as they happen tonight, so sit back, relax, and keep your refresh button pressed; this is going to be an action-packed night.
But before we head to the main event, here’s a look at some cool behind-the-scenes moments from IIFA 2024.
The stars are going all out for IIFA 2024. Don’t believe us? Just check out these cool practice reels – that’s an A for effort guys.
Shahid Kapoor is also going to be on stage, and apparently he can’t wait. He told Khaleej Times in an interview, “We’re very excited for the IIFA weekend. It’s a chance to interact with people, do different activities, and visit new places, so it’s always fun.”
Here’s what he had to say about his performance to the IIFA team:
Meanwhile, fans and fellow stars can’t wait for Shah Rukh Khan to take the stage. Crew actress Kriti Sanon, who is also set to perform this weekend, said Shah Rukh has this infectious energy. “I am looking forward to seeing him host,” she said. “I used to always love watching him host because of the energy he has.”
Here are the latest updates from the event:
10.27pm: Arshad Warsi and Vivek Oberoi announce the winner for Playback singer
Bhupinder Babbal wins the title of Best Playback Singer (Male) for Animal.
The film’s director, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, takes the award on Babbal’s behalf.
10.20pm: Another prize is announced
Best Music Direction: The award is given to Animal.
10.15pm: The first award of the night is announced
And the Best Lyrics Award goes to Siddharth-Garima for Satranga from the movie Animal.
10.13pm: Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor perform
Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor perform to Jugjugg Jeeyo, before handing the stage over to hosts Shah Rukh and Vicky.
10.00pm: Shahid Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal are performing on stage.
Kriti Sanon joins Shahid Kapoor on stage. And this followed by a number by Prabhu Deva.
Meanwhile, stars such as Hema Malini and Niharika Konidela are walking the red carpet.
9.53pm: Shah Rukh Khan takes the stage
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh takes the stage amid a firework-filled introduction. Check out the grand spectacle below:
9.44pm: Things are getting started
Badshah gets on stage and introduces Shah Rukh Khan!
9.17pm: Meanwhile, on the green carpet, we have…
Rozik has told Khaleej Times in an earlier interview of the importance of staying true to himself. “I owe much of my success to embracing who I am. I am forever grateful for my health and for the support of all of you who helped me become who I am today.”
Read the full story here.
8.57pm: What’s happening indoors? Here’s a quick glimpse of the IIFA 2024 stage
8.44pm: More stars walk the green carpet
8.37pm: Gulshan Grover says he has a special relationship with Khaleej Times
Gulshan Grove stops to say hello.
8.33pm: Kriti Sanon is amped up for the show
In an interview with Indian news agency ANI, Kriti Sanon said yesterday that stars deal with a lot of scrutiny these days because of social media. But, she said, there are two sides to fame. “We can obviously connect to our fans a lot more easily. We probably do two films a year but then the rest of the time we can sort of connect with them [through this medium]. So, I think there are pros and cons both,” she explained.
Today, she’s been hard at work practising for her performance on the IIFA stage.
Read the full story here.
8.27pm: UAE actor Taha Shah Badussha is here
Taha Shah Badussha, best known for his role as Tajdar in the Netflix series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, has chosen a classic look for this evening.
Badussha is acutely aware of the spotlight on him, courtesy filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama, especially since his was to be a short appearance that later bloomed into a full-fledged role. “I literally got a three-day role and I was very happy. Then, he increased my role to [that of Balraj]. And then he increased it to Tajdar’s role,” he told Khaleej Times in an earlier interview.
Read the full interview here.
8.16pm: Other green carpet looks
Dubai Bling‘s Ebraheem Al Samadi stops to chat with Khaleej Times on the green carpet. The reality TV star is also the owner of the Forever Rose Cafe in Boxpark. His co-star Safa Siddiqui is also at the event.
8.13pm: Badshah is in the house!
7.58pm: Actress Amrin Qureshi is on the green carpet
7.45pm: Indian actor and film producer Jiiva makes his presence felt
7.25pm: Sabbas Joseph speaks to Khaleej Times
Sabbas Joseph, co-founder of Wizcraft, on Shah Rukh Khan returning to the stage after all these years: “He belongs to the stage.”
7.09pm: Neetasha Singh, Siddharth Kannan walk the green carpet
6.54pm: Alex Ward, Regional Director of Madame Tussauds, on the Green Carpet
