ALL ABOUT IIFA AWARDS

Cinema is all about storytelling, giving direction to the thought, a story already residing, and forming it into a 3 hour long master piece. It is not something that can be achieved in a matter of days’ time. It takes years to bring the story to life hence IIFA was born.

The International Indian Film Academy Awards also known as the IIFA awards, has been there since the time innumerable! It is conducted by Wizcraft International Entertainment. The awards are conducted every year, around the world. The ceremony first was commenced in the year 2000.

The first ever ceremony was held at The Millennium Dome in London, United Kingdom. That was then, and now the awards has travelled around the globe. It used to be a one-night event but slowly and steadily it is celebrated for three long days, and it hosts activities and events that all align with the theme- Bollywood! Amitabh Bachchan has been celebrated as the Brand Ambassador.

The first IIFA awards was celebrated on 24 June 2000. It had 26 categories and was hosted by Anupam Kher and Yukta Mookhey. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, won the best picture award. Following, Sanjay Leela Bansali won the best direction award and Sanjay Dutt and Aishwarya Rai were awarded as the best actor and best actress.

Categories of IIFA Awards:

The IIFA awards are divided into categories and they are as follows:

Popular Awards: Best Film, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, star debut of the year male, best lyricist, playback singer, best story, these are some of the most well-known award categories and which have been there since its inception. Gradually the categories increased to praise more and more artists.

There are some movies, that stay with an individual forever, and hence they bag the most awards.

• 3 Idiots bagged 18 awards in 2009, Devdas in the year 2002 bagged 16 awards, Kal Ho Naa Ho bagged 14 awards in 2003, Barfi was awarded 14 times in 2012, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was awarded 14 awards in the year 2013.

Fast forward to the year 2022, this year awards will be conducted on 20-21 May 2022. The awards this year travelled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is the first time in a long time, that awards will be held there and it returned there after 2006. The nominees were announced in this year.

The nominees and winners for this year's IIFA awards 2022 are as follows:

Best Film:

83, Sardar Udham, Shershaah, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, Thappad.

Best Director:

Kabir Khan- 83, Anurag Basu- Ludo, Shoojit Sircar- Sardar Udham, Vishnuvardhan – Shershaah, Anubhav Sinha – Thappad.

IIFA has always been about celebrating the efforts of each and every individual, that has worked hard towards making it into a master piece. To honour them, they have a specified categories for each and every team included in forming this masterpiece.

This year, Salman Khan, along with Riteish Deshmukh will host the awards and Varun Dhawan will be performing on the night of glitter and glamour. The event will take place at the Middle East’s largest state-of-the-art indoor entertainment, Etihad Arena, it is part of the Yas Bay Waterfront on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the department of culture and tourism- Abu Dhabi.

Why IIFA 2022 is being celebrated in Yas Island?

Abu Dhabi and the UAE have successfully managed to go back to resuming events and tourism activities in the recent months. It also happens to be one of the fastest growing destinations, it is home to incredible beaches, vibrant culture, and world class entertainment with a side of leisure entertainment offering vast array of enriching experiences. Not just witnessing the night of glamour and glitz, Yas Island has a variety of experiences to offer. One can witness award winning theme parks, the capital’s largest mall, 160 dining options.

Traveling to Abu Dhabi, don’t miss these places:

Yas Bay: It is nestled in the south of Yas Island, and is also one of the emerging capital’s premier waterfront destinations. It is famous for its small coffee shops, and water facing cafes.

Yas Marina: This place offers you much needed leisure time. It is situated on the heart of the island, along with F1 racetrack, the marina is one of the vibrant and bustling spots on the island, it is a full package. Marina offers all the things from offering local delicacy of food from a food stall near the waterside, or strolling alongside the dock. One can also catch a game while sipping beer on several casual spots venues one such venue is Stars N bar.

CLYMB Abu Dhabi: Fan of skydiving? We have a perfect place for you! CLYMB Abu Dhabi is a must, and it happens to be one of the world’s biggest indoor fight chambers as well as regions tallest climbing wall. It happens to be 10-metre wide and 25-metre high. Added to this, the place offers unique climbing experiences, personalising it according to the visitors’ competencies. It is known as the SUMMYT, one of the tallest indoor climbing walls, that heights to over 43 metres.

Yas Beach: Fond of sand, and water? Yas beach is the place for you, with fine sands, crystal clear water and offers wide range of activities to enjoy from. It is one of the perfect places to enjoy kayaking, sailing, snorkelling as well it also offers water sports, with lip-smacking local and international food while soaking in the tranquil of nature views.

Yas Mall: Located in the gigantic peninsula is the Yas Mall, it is home to 370 stores and is one of the premium shopping hotspots and surely heaven on earth for anyone who is fond of retail shopping. It has luxury brand boutiques, to premium clothing brands, exotic perfumes, homeware and more and more, it has everything one can even imagine. It has one of the largest playground for children in the world. It is also this mall, that one will find the capital’s only apple store! Stuff your mouth with the delicious food and hop to cafes and restaurants like Al Fanar, Black Tap and many more.

Now what are you waiting for? Think no more! Book your flight tickets with EaseMyTrip and also get free IIFA passes!