Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor's romantic comedy 2 States is leading the nominations for the 16th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards in categories including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Story.
Close behind is Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider, with its nomination in eight categories, including Leading Role Male for Shahid Kapoor, and Kay Kay Menon in both Supporting Role Male and Negative Role.
2 States, based on Chetan Bhagat's novel of the same name, will be vying for the Best Picture trophy with Queen, PK, Haider, Highway and Mary Kom.
Abhishek Varman, who made his directorial debut with 2 States, will be competing for Best Director with Vikas Bahl (Queen), Vishal Bhardwaj (Haider), Rajkumar Hirani (PK) and Imtiaz Ali (Highway).
Best Actor nominations include Shahid Kapoor (Haider), Aamir Khan (PK), Arjun Kapoor (2 States), Hrithik Roshan (Bang Bang!), Randeep Hooda (Highway), and Shah Rukh Khan (Happy New Year!).
Bollywood's Queen Kangana Ranaut will be contending for Best Actress and is up against Alia Bhatt (2 States), Priyanka Chopra (Mary Kom), Deepika Padukone (Happy New Year!), Rani Mukherji (Mardaani), and Anushka Sharma (PK).
Actors nominated for Supporting Role Male are Ronit Roy (2 States), Riteish Deshmukh (Ek Villain), Kay Kay Menon (Haider), Randeep Hooda (Kick), Inaamulhaq (Filmistaan) and Naseeruddin Shah (Finding Fanny).
The female contenders for the same category are Tabu (Haider), Amrita Singh (2 States), Lisa Haydon (Queen), Juhi Chawla (Gulaab Gang), and Huma Qureshi (Dedh Ishqiya).
Nominated for Best Comic Role are Sharib Hashmi (Filmistaan), Sanjay Dutt (PK), Varun Dhawan (Main Tera Hero) and Govinda (Happy Ending) have been nominated.
Riteish Deshmukh (Ek Villain), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Kick) and Kay Kay Menon (Haider) are this year's contenders for Best Actor in a Negative Role.
Apart from Best Director, Bhardwaj will also be vying for Best Music Director for his score in Haider.
He faces tough competition from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy for 2 States; Mithoon (Banjara, Zaroorat and Hamdard), Ankit Tiwari (Galliyan), Adnan Dhool (Soch, Awari), Rabbi Ahmed (Awari) for Ek Villain; and Mithoon, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Pritam and Arko Pravo Mukherjee for Yaariyan.
Competitors for Best Story are Queen, 2 States, and PK.
Best Lyrics nominees are Manoj Muntashir for Galliyan (Ek Villain), Rashmi Singh for Muskurane (Citylights) and Amitabh Bhattacharya for Mast Magan (2 States) have been nominated.
The Playback Singer Male category includes Ankit Tiwari for Galliyan (Ek Villain), Arijit Singh for Muskurane (Citylights), Mika Singh for Jumme ki Raat (Kick), and Sukhwinder Singh for Bismil (Haider).
In the female category of the award, Baby Doll singer Kanika Kapoor (Ragini MMS 2) has been nominated alongside Sultana and Jyoti Nooran for Patakha Guddi (Highway) and Shreya Ghoshal for Samjhawan (Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania).
The ceremony will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from June 5 to 7.
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