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Dubai, June 15th, 2006: The seventh International Indian Film Academy
(IIFA) Weekend in Dubai kicked off in inimitable style today, 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, presented by Tiara Residence, the AED 2.1 billion
luxury lifestyle development from Zabeel Investments, and Dubai
Summer Surprises, was officially opened at the Grand Hyatt this
morning at a press conference featuring Indian superstar and IIFA
Brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, Star TV Vice-president, Kevin
Vaz, Zabeel Investments CEO Mohammed Al Hashimi, Idea Cellular Vice-president
Pradeep Shrivastava and DSS CEO Saeed Al Nabouda.
The IIFA Weekend 2006 is being held under the patronage of HH Sheikh
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation,
Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group and Chairman of the
DSS/DSF Supreme Committees.
The IIFA Weekend presented by Tiara Residence will conclude on
Friday, June 16, with the Idea IIFA Awards ceremony at the spectacular
Central Hall at the Dubai Airport Expo. Hosted by A-listers 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 Reshamiya 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.”
“In many ways, the IIFA Weekend and Idea IIFA Awards share
the goals and dreams of Zabeel Investments,” he added. “We
believe in tomorrow and that the youth hold the answers to a better
future – all they require is support, encouragement and the
opportunity to realize their dreams.”
Idea Cellular will also begin a new three-year association with
IIFA this year. At the press conference, Idea Vice President Pradeep
Shrivastava , “IDEA IIFA offers us the best platform to demonstrate
the true essence of mobile and entertainment convergence. With Idea
IIFA there is an unmatched value we provide to our customers by
providing them the three aspects of entertainment that engage them
through the all-powerful mobile phone. With IDEA IIFA, our privileged
customer and business partners will have access to specially created
merchandise, contests, video and MMS downloads and several other
value added services. Only Idea can take you there.”
The IIFA Weekend began on 14 June with the IIFA World Premiere
of Jagmohan Mundra’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 honoured to host an event of
such grand stature as the IIFA Weekend which is dubbed as the Indian
equivalent of the Oscars. It is indeed a pleasure to welcome the
stars of the Indian film industry to this glittering event. The
four-day extravaganza is slated to be a bigger and most exclusive
event in true Dubai style.”
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".
The Tiara Residence IIFA Weekend will witness a host of exciting
events that will enthrall the people of Dubai. The celebrations
at the weekend will commence with the IIFA World Premiere Film-
Jagmohan Mundhra’s ‘Provoked’ starring Aishwarya
Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson and Nandita Das. The cast
and crew of ‘Provoked’ will receive a Red Carpet Welcome
at the Grand Cineplex on the evening of June 14th, in Dubai.
The second day of the 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.
This three-day film festival, which opens with hit Tamil film ‘Chandramukhi,’
includes 31 critically and commercially successful examples of Indian
cinema. The festival will also give media and cinema lovers an opportunity
to interact with the cast and crew of many of these films.
The IIFA Foundation Fashion Extravaganza, presented by Rosyblue,
will be the high point of the second day, with celebrated Indian
designers Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis outfitting cinema icons
and celebrities with the best of Indian glamour and fashion. Director
Karan Johar will also have a special conversation with his film
star friends and reveal some of their most intimate secrets during
the event.
The black tie fashion extravaganza will help raise funds for the
IIFA Foundation, which supports families of behind-the-scenes film
workers who have been injured or worse during the making of a film.
The IIFA Weekend and the Idea IIFA Awards will be broadcast on
STAR Plus at 8 pm on Sunday, June 25, 2006.
Kevin Vaz, Vice-President of Sales, STAR India, said, “We
are very proud to be associated with the Idea IIFA Awards and the
IIFA Weekend yet again. IIFA, which celebrates the emergence of
Indian Cinema on a global platform, is partnering with STAR yet
again. Following the success of IIFA last year, millions of viewers
across India, UAE, Pakistan, USA, UK, South East Asia and several
other nations who have chosen STAR Plus to be their preferred choice
of Indian entertainment are looking forward to the IIFA Weekend
in Dubai. We are working together to make this year’s event
a truly memorable celebration of Indian Cinema and all our viewers.”
Wiz Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft, said “The IIFA Weekend
in Dubai will instill yet another milestone in our endeavors to
take Indian Cinema to the Global platform. With the Idea IIFA Awards
2006, we will continue to provide the impetus for the crossover
of Indian cinema to global audiences and delight the Indian diaspora
with the grandest celebration of Indian cinema.”
Launched seven years ago at the Millennium Dome in London, the
IIFA Awards ceremony has grown into a three-day extravaganza showcasing
the best of Indian cinema and providing a platform for its interaction
with global media.
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.
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