IIFA 2024: Indian film stars to add extra dose of glamour in Abu Dhabi

Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, Ram Charan, Rana Dagubatti, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Samantha Ruth Prabhu and more are set to add sparkle to the glitzy affair
IIFA 2024: Indian film stars to add extra dose of glitz and glamour in Abu Dhabi
Published on
Updated on
3 min read

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) returns to Abu Dhabi for the third time on September 27. Some of the biggest names of the Indian film fraternity such as Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, Ram Charan, Rana Dagubatti, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, are set to add sparkle to the glitzy affair.

The award event made its debut in 2000 and has since been celebrated in a variety of picturesque locales, including New York, Abu Dhabi, Toronto, Singapore, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, Dubai, Colombo and Tampa Bay. For the 24th edition, the three-day event will be held at the 18,000-seater Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, and will conclude on September 29.

Andre Timmins, one of the three forces behind Wizcraft International, said in an interview, that this time, it will be huge. He said, “This year, it's going to be more different of bringing all the five industries together, building the entire diversity of the entire cultures of each of the regions, you know, so for us it's a very big moment and also for the film fraternity coming together.

“They're all so excited that, you know, it's never happened before where we had Bollywood and the South film industries on one platform, and I can,” he added.

This time the event will begin with IIFA Utsavam, which honours the artistic and technical achievements of the South Indian film industry. It represents Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada film industries. Rana Daggubati will be taking over the hosting duties for IIFA Utsavam. He plans to “bring a blend of fun, laughter, and a bit of behind-the-scenes magic to the viewers.”

“It is not just about handing out awards; it is about sharing stories, exploring the passion that makes cinema, truly an incredible medium that we all love; it is a dream, and celebrating the brilliance of those who make it happen. I want the audience to feel that they are a part of this celebration – not just watching it,” Rana said.

This is not the first time that the South star will be hosting, and he says that he is “happy to do it again.” “So much of the industry has changed and evolved with the kind of cinema we make. So, it surely requires a new celebration, and this time it’s five industries coming together for the first time, and that’s going to be special for sure,” he explained.

IIFA Utsavam will also see performances by Regina Cassandra, Raashii Khanna, Prabhudeva and Rockstar DSP, to name a few. The actress, who will be performing a nine-minute medley, said that she is really excited to perform. “It's happening in Abu Dhabi, and all my friends from the film fraternity are going to be there, so it's always an exciting time to see everyone and enjoy ourselves.”

Talking about the tracks she is set to groove on, Regina said: “It's Tamil and Telugu. So I'm doing ‘Ranjithame’, ‘Whistle Podu’, 'Maamadura', and ‘Kaathu Mela’. In Telugu, I'm doing ‘Guva Gorinka’, ‘Sana Kashtam’, ‘Bangarakodi Petta', and 'Amudu, Let's Do Kumudu’,” Regina told IANS. Actress Raashii too would be dancing to a medley of Telugu and Tamil songs.

On September 28, the flagship IIFA Awards will be celebrated, which will be hosted by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. He will be joined by filmmaker Karan Johar and star Vicky Kaushal as the co-host.

Talking about SRK and KJo hosting, Timmins said, “After a long time, we've got King Khan, Shah Rukh Khan to come and host the show along with Karan Johar. So, you know, that's a totally different level altogether, and Shah Rukh has been putting in a lot of effort.” The 24th year of IIFA will be very special for many reasons, one of them being v

Veteran star Rekha will also perform for over twenty minutes on the stage. Timmins said, “Then the finale, Rekha, 22 minutes, with about 150 dancers and costumes. She's been working day and night on her costumes, her graphics, and making sure this performance is of a lifetime. Rekha is the finale. This is going to be my last performance, but it's going to be something outstanding.”

The event will also have other Bollywood personalities such as Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor, Nora Fatehi, Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon setting the stage on fire with their performances.

To bring the curtains down for the glittering event, there will be IIFA Rocks to celebrate music and fashion, on September 29. It will be hosted by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Abhishek Banerjee.

Siddhant, who rose to fame with his performance as MC Sher in Gully Boy, said that hosting the show was a dream come true for him. “Hosting IIFA Rocks is an absolute dream come true, especially after I won an IIFA award for Gully Boy in 2021! I'm thrilled to be part of such a prestigious event. To make this year's show different, I plan to bring my own unique energy and style,” he told a news agency.

Related Stories

No stories found.
X
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com