Actress Parineeti Chopra, who will be performing at the first Arab Indo Bollywood Awards in Dubai on May 29. AFP
Actress Parineeti Chopra, who will be performing at the first Arab Indo Bollywood Awards in Dubai on May 29. AFP

Dubai is my second home, says Bollywood star Parineeti Chopra



The inaugural Arab Indo Bollywood Awards will be held in Dubai on Friday, May 29. The event is set to be a star-studded, red-carpet extravaganza, hosted by Karan Johar and Manish Paul.

The show will feature performances from stars including Jacqueline Fernandez, Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan and Parineeti Chopra.

We caught up with Chopra for a quick chat about her thoughts on Dubai abd what fans can look forward to from her at the awards ceremony.

You are back in Dubai for the first AIBA ceremony. What do you think of the city?

Dubai is a city I am very close to, in fact, it’s like my second home and in that sense it’s very special to me. Actually, my best friend lives here so and I come here very often. I have a lot of fun memories attached to Dubai and I have always had a great time when I am here. I am sure this time would be no different.

What can we expect from your performance at AIBA? Are you looking forward to the event?

I am very excited to be participating in these inaugural AIBA Awards. It’s a one-of-a-kind venture in the sense that it’s a sincere effort to connect two cultures – the Arab and the Indian – and promote our cinema to this part of the world. I am sure this will open up many opportunities in the future.

As for my performance – I have something very special lined up for the show. My team and I have worked really hard on putting a routine together that I hope the audience enjoys as much as we have enjoyed developing it. The audience reaction on Friday will be a judge of that.

The Arab Indo Bollywood Awards ceremony is at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on May 29. Visit www.aibagulf.com for more details and ticket information

artslife@thenational.ae

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Winner Thabet Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)

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Winner Blue Diamond, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi

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7pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Heros De Lagarde, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m

Winner Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

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If you go

The flights

Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes. 

The hotel

Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.

The tour

The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours. 

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