IIFA Awards 2024 in Abu Dhabi: What to expect from Bollywood and South Indian film event

Etihad Arena is set to host star-studded event later this month for third year in a row

Shahid Kapoor performs at the IIFA Awards in 2022. The Bollywood star will return to Abu Dhabi this year. Photo: IIFA

The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) are returning to the UAE capital later this month for the third straight year. But this time, organisers are adding South Indian star power to the mix.

To be held across three days at Etihad Arena, the IIFA Festival, as it is called this year, will begin with IIFA Utsavam on September 27. It will honour the best South Indian entertainment of the past year, with stars from Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada film industries expected to attend.

The second night, on September 28, will be the flagship IIFA Awards, which honour the best of Bollywood or the Hindi film industry. The festival will close with IIFA Rocks, a night dedicated to music and fashion. All three nights are expected to feature top stars from India's entertainment industry.

The IIFA Awards were traditionally held in a different country each year, but Abu Dhabi has hosted the IIFA Awards and IIFA Rocks since 2022.

What are the IIFA Awards?

First held in London in 2000, the IIFA Awards were conceptualised by Mumbai event company Wizcraft International Entertainment to honour the best Hindi films and movie talents of the previous year. It has been instrumental in boosting Bollywood's global popularity.

Dubai hosted the event, back in 2006, and so has Bangkok, New York, Colombo, Amsterdam, Madrid, Florida, Kuala Lumpur and Macau. The 2020 event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2021 version took place online before Abu Dhabi took on the host city duties in 2022.

As a nod to the rising stature of films from South India, Wizcraft launched IIFA Utsavam in 2016, to honour films and talent from Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada film industries.

Who are the IIFA Festival 2024 hosts?

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will host this year's IIFA Awards alongside producer and director Karan Johar. Known for their close friendship, the duo have both hosted the awards separately in the past.

“IIFA is a celebration of Indian cinema that resonates across the globe and being a part of its journey over the years has been amazing,” Khan said. “I look forward to bringing the energy, passion, and grandeur of IIFA to life once again as we gear up for an unforgettable celebration of Indian cinema this September.”

Johar is looking forward to sharing the stage with his “dear friend” Shah Rukh Khan and added: “We’re about to light up Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, like never before.”

Meanwhile, IIFA Utsavam will be hosted by television actress and presenter Diya Menon alongside Tamil actor Sathish. Co-hosts for the night include actress Pearle Maaney and actor Akul Balaji.

Bollywood actors Siddhant Chaturvedi and Abhishek Banerjee will host the music and fashion night IIFA Rocks. While Chaturvedi is known for his roles in films such as Gully Boy and Gehraiyaan, Banerjee has received acclaim for films such as Stree and the series Paatal Lok.

Who are the performers?

So far, confirmed performers for the IIFA Awards include Bollywood veteran Rekha and actors Vicky Kaushal, Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon.

Kaushal, who hosted the awards last year, is sure to perform the viral song Tauba Tauba from his 2024 film Bad Newz, among others. Kapoor and Sanon's film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya also comes with a number of hits including the title track and Akhiyaan Gulaab, the video for which was filmed in the UAE.

For IIFA Utsavam, performers include actresses Pragya Jaiswal, Raashii Khanna, Regina Cassandra as well as actor, director and choreographer Prabhu Deva. Composer Devi Sri Prasad, popularly known as DSP, will also perform. More will be announced soon.

DSP, the headline act at IIFA Rocks in 2022, is one of the busiest music directors in India today, known for many hits including the viral Oo Antava Mawa and Srivalli songs from the Telugu superhit Pushpa: The Rise.

How much do tickets cost?

Tickets are priced separately for all three nights, starting at Dh100 each. Show timings and other additional information is available on the Etihad Arena website.