IIFA Awards: The Biggest Bollywood Party to descend upon Yas Island

ABU DHABI: The countdown to the 23rd edition of the International Indian Film Academy and Awards (IIFA) has begun.

With the biggest celebration of Indian cinema, music, dance and fashion just days away, Bollywood is gearing up for the biggest holiday for the entire industry, with at least 20 of the industry’s A-listers packing to be there at IIFA.

They will be landing once again on the entertainment-filled and action-packed amazing Yas Island from May 25-27 for the eagerly awaited 2023 Sobha IIFA Weekend and Nexa Awards partnered by Miral and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

NEXA continues as the title sponsor for the seventh consecutive edition and this year IIFA is joined for the first time by Sobha Realty as the title sponsor of the IIFA Weekend.

The grand stage for the Awards is once again the world-class Etihad Arena, the Middle East’s largest state-of-the-art indoor entertainment venue, located on the picturesque Yas Bay Waterfront.

Vicky Kaushal and Abhishek Bachchan are all set to be the hosts for IIFA 2023 and they promise an evening of entertainment and excitement.

The awards will be interspersed with live performances by a mega star cast, with Bollywood’s much-loved Bhaijaan, Salman Khan, leading the way. His ‘Kick’ collaborator Jacqueline Fernandez will give him company, along with Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon whose horror-comedy ‘Bhediya’ made us laugh and scream in equal measures.

Nora Fatehi, Rakul Preet Singh and Ayushmann Khurana will also set the stage on fire with some very special performances.

IIFA Rocks is set to be hosted by Farah Khan and another National Award-winning actor, Rajkummar Rao, bringing together the very best in camaraderie of cinema.

IIFA Rocks will also see some of the biggest music performances by the much-feted music director and singer Amit Trivedi, along with several popular singers — Badshah, Sunidhi Chauhan, Nucleya, Mika, Sukhbir Singh, Raftaar, Shreya Ghoshal, Anusha Mani and Goldie Sohel.

The most highly awaited special addition this year to the Sobha IIFA Rocks is the premiere edition of an exclusive showcase by leading celebrity designer, Manish Malhotra.

Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “NEXA has always been at the forefront of innovations and curating impeccable experiences that not only impress but inspire. By foraying into the fields of fashion, music and journeys, NEXA has successfully created and inspired multiple unique experiences for its customers. It is for this very reason that NEXA has collaborated with IIFA, which is a platform to recognise India’s top creative talent in the world of cinema and celebrate the best in cinema arts. The association is in its 7th year and both NEXA and IIFA are challenging the status quo to create experiences that are unique and inspiring.

“With IIFA, we have a perfect association as we share a common vision of creating global experiences, which has established the premium imagery of both brands. We look forward to IIFA 2023 which will be held at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi to inspire our new-age consumers who seek global experiences in their everyday lives.”

IIFA’s guest list, as always, boasts several superstar names. This year, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor and Alia Bhatt have confirmed their participation, along with the legendary actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan and Riteish & Genelia D’Souza to also be in attendance.

Ayushmann’s sibling and Jubilee star Aparshakti Khurana and Vicky’s actor-brother Sunny Kaushal are among the expected celebrity guests, along with Mouni Roy, Fardeen Khan, Esha Gupta, Mrunal Thakur, Dia Mirza, Rashii Khanna and Sheeba Chaddha to name a few.

The glamorous Bollywood wives will be represented by Neelam Kothari, Bhavna Pandey, Maheep Kapoor and Seema Sajdeh.

Ravi Menon, Co-Chairman of Sobha Realty, said, “We are delighted to be the title sponsors of the 23rd edition of IIFA Weekend. The event will witness the presence of the who’s who of the Indian film industry with the glitz and glamour that makes Indian cinema widely popular. With a rich culture of performing arts in our nation itself, we are honoured to recognise and celebrate the long-standing allure of Indian cinema and its outstanding contributors. Indian films are watched across the world, and we are pleased to welcome the numerous actors, artists, and talents of our nation, further bringing Indian cinema to a global audience.

“IIFA Awards recognises the highest quality and artistic expressions in the Indian film sector, just like we at Sobha Realty recognise the value of quality, art, and design in our work.”

Producer Ramesh Taurani will join the ‘Race’ to be at IIFA, as will other movie moguls, Boney Kapoor, Bhushan Kumar, Jayantilal Gada, Anees Bazmee and R Madhavan, who has established himself as an actor, director, producer and writer.

One of the highlights of the Sobha IIFA weekend for film buffs, aspiring filmmakers and enthusiasts is a master class, ‘Director’s Cut with Kabir Khan’.