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Exceeding the expected, the eleventh edition of the IIFA's bedazzled the city of Colombo, getting off to a great start. Day one was set in motion with the IIFA Global Press Conference which was attended by over 450 local and international media, key members of the Indian film fraternity including, Dia Mirza, Boman Irani, Lara Dutta, Riteish Deshmukh, Viviek Oberoi, Neil Nitin Mukhesh and IIFA supporter and Sri Lankan Cricketer, Kumar Sangakkara. The first day also saw briefings of the films, Lamhaa, starring Sanjay Dutt, Kunal Kapoor, Bipasha Basu and Anupam Kher, followed by the first look of the film, Help starring Mughda Godse and Bobby Deol. Both film briefings were well received by the media.
The first night of the Weekend saw the trendsetting IIFA Foundation Fashion Extravaganza - IIFA Rocks!, a trail blazer event in Colombo featuring Indian designers Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis and leading Sri Lankan designers Yoland and Kanchana (KT Brown). The stylish duo of Viveik Oberoi and Dia Mirza hosted the night that was presented by Avirate Fashions from Timex Garments in association with Gitanjali Lifestyle. The IIFA Foundation Fashion Extravaganza which spread over two days was of special significance as it supported the IIFA Foundation. The Foundation is a charity organization that was set up by the IIFA Academy to support families of the film industry workers who have been adversely affected during the production of films. Malaika Arora Khan walked the ramp for Vikram Phadnis, while popular Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara and actress Jacqueline Fernandez were show stoppers for Manish Malhotra. For the first time, both Indian designers were accompanied by live musical performance from Salim-Suleiman, Kailash Kher and Anushka Manchanda. Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor and Anupam Kher promoted their film, Lamhaa at the Fashion Extravaganza, gliding down the ramp together. The Fashion Extravaganza was also spiced up by Anil Kapoor in conversation with the Micromax IIFA Awards hosts Lara Dutta, Boman Irani and Riteish Deshmukh. One of the major highlights of the night was the first look of the film 'Dabaang' which showcased the look of the film by the movie celebrities, Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha.
Day two kicked off with the FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum which was inaugurated by HE the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Forum was addressed by respected personalities from the world of business, entertainment and cricket from India and Sri Lanka. Speakers in the ilk of Basil Rajapaksa, Hon. Minister of Economic Development, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Governor - Central Bank, Ashok K. Kantha, High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and MG Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, among others discussed the building of economic partnerships between India and Sri Lanka, investing and rebuilding the new North – East Sri Lanka and the future of ‘cricketainment’. The FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum 2010 in Colombo brought together business leaders, policy makers and dignitaries from around the world to deliberate on key industry verticals. FICCI and IIFA created a conducive environment for development of joint initiatives between business leaders across the two countries. Veteran actor, Anupam Kher was honoured with the CNBC IIFA Global Leadership Award for his contribution to the arts beyond borders and especially his efforts to share his craft with the next generation of actors. Sri Lanka’s Ranjith Page and Mahesh Amalean were also awarded with the CNBC-IIFA Global Leadership award by the Sri Lankan President, Mr. Rajapaksa on the occasion.
Day two also saw an IIFA Film Workshop - In Conversation with Anupam Kher, held for aspiring students in film related studies. Anupam Kher and Sri Lanka’s own, Jacqueline Fernandez shared their experiences with the students and guests in attendance. The second part to the IIFA Film Workshop was a networking session amongst distinguished personalities from the Indian and Sri Lankan Film Industries. This interactive session included topics based on direction, film making, cost effective co-productions etc.
The 4th June afternoon was a highlight for many Sri Lankans as they got to witness the Indian film stars and their Sri Lankan national cricket team go head to head for charity. IIFA 2010 hosted the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match, in support of UNICEF’s ‘Cricket for Children’ project, which was played between India’s top cinema stars and Sri Lankan cricketers. Mandira Bedi, Chunky Pandey and Javed Jaffrey hosted the match. Team captains of the three teams, Suniel Shetty, Kumar Sangakkara and Hrithik Roshan, put on a thrilling showdown during the game. As a symbol of solidarity with the Sri Lankan people, IIFA in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, has adopted a village for refugees and has begun its refurbishment. The proceeds from the charity cricket match will be donated to this ‘IIFA Hands for Humanity’ project. The Literacy Partner for IIFA 2010, Linc Pens in association with IIFA is devoted to the cause of literacy and will be donating stationery to the IIFA model village in Sri Lanka. The IIFA Foundation Cricket Match was brought to you by Dialog Telecom. The three teams, Sangakkara XI, Hrithik XI and Suniel XI (IIFA team captains, Kumar Sangakkara, Hrithik Roshan and Suniel Shetty) battled it out at the SSC grounds in Colombo. Sangakara XI defeated the two cricket teams consisting of Indian celebrities to emerge the winner of the Oscar IIFA Challenge Foundation Charity match. Sangakara’s XI included, Muthiah Murlidharan, Namal Rajapaksa, Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva, and Upul Chandana among others. On defeating Suniel XI first with a score of over 141 runs, Sangakkara XI came out victorious. Suniel‘s team, apart from himself, included Sonu Sood, Apoorva Lakhia, Sharman Joshi, Mahesh Manjrekar, and Harman Baweja, among others. The captain of the third IIFA team, Hrithik Roshan with a team including stars like Jackky Bhagnani, Arjan Bajwa, Dino Morea and Vatsal Seth among others also lost to Sangakara’s XI, naming them the winners of the Oscar IIFA Challenge Foundation cup. Suniel Shetty was named The Videocon Man of the Match (Celebrity) and the Micromax Man of the Match (Cricketer) was Kumar Sangakkara. The Panasonic Best Catch went to Upul Chandana and Sonu Sood was announced as the Western Union Most Reliable Player.
The celebrities said that there were no losers since the proceeds went to charity. Reebok contributed Rs 5 Lakhs and Coke contributed 2.5 Lakhs towards IIFA’s charity project, IIFA Hands for Humanity, done in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. The end of the event also saw a surprise in the guise of actor Salman Khan, who took a round of the field to give his fans, a dose of the Salman mania. Celebrities including, Anupam Kher, Bipasha Basu, Aftab Shivdasani, Boman Irani, and Dia Mirza were also present at the Charity match. This splendid cricket match was followed by a day 2 of Fashion revue - the IIFA Bling night which was high on style. The night had many of the famous faces of the Indian Film Fraternity adorn the ramp adding to its aura for celebrity designers, Rocky S and Nandita Mahatani. It concluded with the unveiling of the IIFA Scholarship for a disadvantaged child. Last year, at IIFA 2009 in Macau, IIFA introduced a special scholarship available to students at the Film and Television Institute of India, of which Resul Pookutty is an alumnus of. The scholarship was presented to a brilliant second-year student of the FTI programme.
The final day of the Videocon IIFA Weekend 2010 was privy to a sneak preview of the Kingdom of Dream's maiden theatrical musical extravaganza , Zangoora, The Gypsy Prince. Kingdom of Dreams, India’s first live entertainment and leisure destination located in Gurgaon (Delhi), was revealed at the grand announcement and is slated to open in July 2010. Kingdom of Dreams will bring to life the magic and mystique of India - a unique blend of art, culture, heritage, crafts, cuisine and performing arts, complete with spectacular technological wizardry. Kingdom of Dreams is a unique initiative by Wizcraft International Entertainment, India’s Foremost Entertainment and Communication Company and Apra Group of Companies. This mammoth concept will offer theme-based entertainment experiences of exceptional standards like never before and promote Indian culture to Indians and visitors from across the globe. Kingdom of Dreams underscored its presence as India’s newest entertainment destination at the Indian Film Festival, showcasing a making-of and virtual tour to the Kingdom and of the future of Indian entertainment. The Kingdom of Dreams has four distinct entertainment zones- Culture Gully, Nautanki Mahal, Showshaa Theatre and IIFA Buzz - each offering a unique proposition. Culture Gully is an Indian boulevard of exotic food, art and culture; Nautanki Mahal, India’s first dynamic state of the art 4D theatre designed and conceptualised to offer breath-taking & magical experiences; Showshaa Theatre will present a kaleidoscope of fabulous colorful drama marquee spotlighting ancient Indian Epics and Mythology, mock wedding shows and the great Indian talent circus; and IIFA Buzz – a glamorous Indian cinema lounge will buzz with starry energy and the glitzy dazzle of India’s filmdom. Entertainment will never be the same as Kingdom of Dreams opens its gates to a magical and mystical arena.
The star cast of the grandiose stage production featuring actor Hussain Kuwajarewala, Isha Sharvani and Gauahar Khan also presented the first look of the romantic musical, the same night at the Micromax IIFA Awards with a stellar performance. A film briefing of 'Knock Out', starring Kangana Ranaut, Irfan Khan and Sanjay Dutt was also held on day three, giving world media a peek into the first rushes from the film.
IIFA stormed into its second decade of celebrations with a spectacular Awards night, with 3 Idiots winning a majority of the top awards, including the Best Film and Best Director Award. The Micromax IIFA Awards ceremony was held at the Sughathadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The legend of Indian cinema, Amitabh Bachchan won the Award for Best Actor for his much acclaimed role in Paa, while the Best Actress Award was a tie between Kareena Kapoor (3 Idiots) and Vidya Balan (Paa). Sharman Joshi won the Award for Performance in a Supporting role – Male for his role in 3 Idiots, while Divya Dutta won the Award for Performance in a Supporting role – Female for Delhi 6. Recognizing her Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema, Zeenat Aman was presented with the honour by Shatrugan Sinha, while Hrithik Roshan honoured his grandfather, J. Om Prakash for his Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema.
Govinda presented Sanjay Dutt the Award for Performance in a Comic role for All the Best, while Prem Chopra presented Boman Irani with the Award for Performance in a Negative role for 3 Idiots. The Green Globe Crusader of the Year award was conferred to Vivek Oberoi for his contribution towards the environment, while Anil Kapoor was presented with the Award for Outstanding Achievement by an Indian in International Cinema. Jacqueline Fernandez and Mahie Gill were presented with the Star TV debutants of the year (Female) Award, while Jackky Bhagnani and Omi Vaidya won the Star TV debutants of the year (Male) Award.
Lanka’s maiden child, Jacqueline Fernandez depicted her Sri Lankan culture with her scintillating performance, while Bipasha Basu and Kareena Kapoor sizzled as they swayed to some feet-tapping numbers. Salman Khan, Govinda and Anil Kapoor thoroughly overwhelmed the audience by coming together and performing the best dance moves of their years in the film industry. As the three of them enjoyed boogieing on stage some of their trademark moves, Boman Irani’s musical forte surprised everyone as he strummed the guitar singing “Give me some sunshine”! Vivek Oberoi and Saif Ali Khan further captivated the crowd with each of their spellbinding acts, and needless to say the hosts – Boman Irani, Riteish Deshmukh and Lara Dutta, as always perfected the charm of the IIFA Awards night! The night ended on a high with Indian Cinema’s favourite dancer, Hrithik Roshan taking centre stage with an act that involved swords and a constant changing of looks. Precision and creativity by Shiamak’s performers was talked about by all.
The Videocon IIFA Weekend and the Micromax IIFA Awards was hosted by the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). Star TV once again showcased the Micromax IIFA Awards to audiences globally reaching out to millions of viewers. Panasonic continues the Greening of the IIFAs and Sri Lankan Airlines partnered IIFA as the Official Airlines Partner. The IIFA Foundation Cricket Match was brought to you by Dialog Telecom. The Videocon IIFA Weekend has Coca Cola as the Official Beverage Partner. The Literacy Partner for IIFA 2010 is Linc Pens. Reebok is the Apparel sponsor for the IIFA Foundation Cricket Match. Western Union was the Official Money Transfer Partner. The Indian cinema stars descended onto Colombo, and dazzled the whole city of Colombo, during the Videocon IIFA Weekend from 3rd-5th of June, 2010. The electrifying awards presentation ceremony will telecast on the 11th of July 2010, reaching out to more than 600 million households on STAR TV, the Micromax IIFA Awards broadcast partner.
By far, the Micromax IIFA Awards 2010 not only fascinated the crowd, but gave the people of Colombo a rocking evening that will remain etched in their minds for a very long time. IIFA has grown bigger and better through the years, and its entry into the second decade of IIFA Magic, celebrated with the many events during the Videocon IIFA Weekend in Colombo, was proof to its brilliant global climb over the years.