DUBAI, 15 June 2006 — “Dubai is the ‘sangam’ (meeting point) of world cultures,” said Indian movie legend Amitabh Bachchan at the opening of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend 2006 here yesterday.
“It is a great honor for me to be here this afternoon, to be able to represent the strength, dignity and respectability of Indian cinema to the world,” said the distinguished actor and IIFA brand ambassador while addressing the opening press conference.
“We have never had a medium where we could express these aspects to the larger audience until the IIFA movement, and I am glad that the IIFA has been the instigator of this,” he added.
The seventh IIFA Weekend in Dubai kicked off in inimitable style yesterday, heralding a star-studded four-day spectacular that promises to dazzle the UAE with its glamorous fashion, spectacular Idea IIFA Awards presentation ceremony and popular cinema unfolding at multiple venues around Dubai.
The IIFA Weekend was officially opened at the Grand Hyatt, featuring apart from Bachchan, Star TV Vice President of Sales Kevin Vaz, Zabeel Investments Executive Chairman Mohammed Al-Hashimi, Idea Cellular Vice President Pradeep Shrivastava and Dubai Summer Surprises CEO Saeed Al-Nabouda.
Bachchan thanked Dubai for hosting the IIFA Weekend 2006, adding that the city was not only a particular favorite of his, but also a wonder of the modern world.
“Dubai is not just another city, but the meeting point of East and West, entertainment and business,” he added.
“The pace at which the city moves, and the pace and vision of its development, is truly something to behold. It’s amazing how much excitement this city generates and how it continues to move forward and continuously draws more people to itself.”
The IIFA Weekend will conclude on Friday, with the Idea IIFA Awards ceremony at the spectacular Central Hall at the Dubai Airport Expo. Hosted by Fardeen Khan, Lara Dutta and Katrina Kaif, the ceremony will include electrifying performances from leading stars of Indian cinema including Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherjee, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Dia Mirza, Himesh Reshammiya and Upen Patel.
Mohammed Al Hashimi, executive chairman of Zabeel Investments, said: “The launch of the Tiara Residence Weekend and Idea IIFA Awards 2006 is a momentous occasion for this city and its people. Dubai is the first city in the Middle East to host this prestigious event, which has a huge following in this part of the world and we are all looking forward to the various activities associated with it.” The IIFA Weekend began Wednesday night with the IIFA world premiere of Jagmohan Mundhra’s film ‘Provoked,’ starring Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson and Nandita Das. The film’s cast and crew will receive a red carpet welcome at the Grand Cineplex in Dubai.
Saeed Al-Nabouda, CEO, Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises said: “We are greatly honored to host an event of such grand stature as the IIFA Weekend which is dubbed as the Indian equivalent of the Oscars.” Dr. Amina Al-Rustamani, executive director of Media, Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone, spoke about the importance of IIFA as a shared growth platform for Dubai and the Indian film industry. “Dubai Studio City has been created to foster the growth of the film, broadcast and music production industries in the region,” she said. “Our association with IIFA is part of a long-term strategy to establish alliances with events that connect the filmmaking fraternity in a celebration of cinema. This association enhances our links with the world’s largest film industry and creates forums for greater cultural interaction”.
Today (Thursday) IIFA Weekend will begin with the FICCI IIFA Global Business Forum at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and also includes the inauguration of the IIFA Film Festival.
The Idea IIFA Awards 2006 is a salutation to the world’s largest film industry and has attracted the stalwarts of both Indian and International cinema, including Amitabh Bachchan, Mira Nair, Shekhar Kapur, Angelina Jolie, Kylie Minogue, Jackie Chan, Bo Derek and Miranda Richardson.
