Mumbai, Dec 14 (IANS) The 22nd edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend & Awards will be held at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on March 18 and March 19, 2022, to celebrate the best of Hindi cinema.
The awards night will be hosted by superstar Salman Khan.
Apart from celebrating and lauding cinematic excellence, the awards held in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), will also commemorate the 75th year of India's independence and the UAE's year-long Golden Jubilee celebrations, marking its 50th anniversary, and strengthen the cultural ties between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as it will see global dignitaries, fans and film enthusiasts from across the world.
Talking about the highly anticipated awards, event host Salman Khan said, "I have always enjoyed being a part of the IIFA Family and travelling to some great destinations but this year I am super happy that we are headed to one of my personal favorites, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi."
Salman continued, "IIFA is always a memorable time and this year it will be an even bigger celebration as we celebrate the 75th year of India's independence and UAE's 50th Anniversary-Golden Jubilee celebration."
"Over the last 21 years, IIFA has not only given Indian cinema an international platform, but it has created a wonderful opportunity to take us to our fans and connect millions of people globally. I am proud and excited to get ready to host the 2022 IIFA Weekend & Awards Yas Island, Abu Dhabi as we unite the world through cinema & celebration", he added.
Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said, "India has long been one of Abu Dhabi's top inbound source markets for tourists building on strong historic ties. Hosting the IIFA Awards underlines the key strategic position the Indian market occupies for the emirate."
Saood further said, "In addition, we have enjoyed a great bond with India's movie industry, which has for many years been attracted to the UAE capital by our high-quality infrastructure, so the addition of the IIFA to Abu Dhabi's calendar of events aligns perfectly with our 5-year strategy to develop the cultural and creative industries."
While Katrina wore a pink coloured salwar kurta, Vicky sported an ivory coloured shirt paired with beige coloured pants. Katrina rounded her look with open tresses, vermillion, red bangles and big earrings as they were welcomed to the city by the fans.
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Katrina wore a bridal lehenga crafted by ace designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for her special day, Vicky is said to have worn a beige sherwani after his 'sehrabandi'. The couple also made it official that they would soon host a reception in Mumbai for those who were not invited to the very private marriage ceremony at Sawai Madhopur.
After a rocking 'sangeet' ceremony of Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, the traditional 'haldi' ceremony will be performed on Wednesday. And, sources have said that Vicky Kaushal will arrive in style at the wedding venue, riding a white-coloured chariot driven by seven horses. The 'sangeet' ceremony was held on Tuesday night.
The Sangeet ceremony that will start soon will be held on the beautiful lawn under the hotel's Kharbooja Mahal. A platform has been built on a rock for the purpose, giving a pristine look to the venue. The lawn has been decorated on the lines of an open theatre.
