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."
The film has a star-studded cast comprising Ranveer and Alia, along with veterans Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi. Other details about the film are still under wraps.
Manoj said in a conversation with IANS: "It is a big win not for me but for the team of 'The Family Man', because be it film or a web series, it is teamwork that matters. Yes, my character, Srikant Tiwari, has been loved by everyone and it is also one of the top shows in the world now. So, I am happy that the web series worked, it has got loved globally! That is fantastic.
The timeless diva will be doing a special voiceover for a tree in the promos of the show, hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on television. The new season of Bigg Boss is going to be filled with twists and a lot of "Sankat in jungle" as the contestants will have to endure many challenges before they make their way inside the house.
This year, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne will honour Pankaj Tripathi with the Diversity in Cinema award. The award will be presented by eminent filmmaker Anurag Kashyap in the presence of the Governor who will be the host of the evening.
When the matter came up for hearing, his lawyer Prashant Patil argued that the other co-accused in the case are already out on bail and the offences against Kundra attract a punishment of less than seven years, and hence deserved protection from arrest.
Held on Independence Day in association with GiveIndia, The World We Want and Facebook, the concert featured more than 100 entertainers, influencers and artistes, who performed and enthralled global audiences.
