Monsoon season may have arrived in Bangkok, but on Sunday it rained Bollywood stars as the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) put on a spectacular melange of glitz and glamour at the Siam Niramit Theatre in Bangkok. The grandest celebration of Indian cinema, the 19th IIFA Awards returned to the City of Angels for the second time since their inception in 2000.
As Thailand is something of a hotspot for B-town productions, most Indian stars will have shot a movie, commercial or music video here at some point. In fact, as many as 800 Indian productions took place in Thailand this year, with coming productions projected to increase by another 30%. For this reason alone, many in India have reserved a special place in their hearts for the Land of Smiles.
The IIFA Awards take place in a difference place every year and 10 years ago they were hosted here for the first time. What stayed the same: the gig where Akshay Kumar lands onto the stage from the back of the hall by sling with Ranbir Kapoor. What's changed: attendees were a well-balanced mix of newcomers (e.g. Secret Superstar's golden girl Zaira Wasim), youthful superstars (e.g. Ranbir Kapoor) and seasoned actors (e.g. Kabir Bedi).
The grandest of stages saw director Karan Johar's witty one-liners and actor Riteish Deshmukh's charisma meet as they played hosts to entertain the audience with their chemistry.
For the finale, the awards saved the best for last as India's timeless beauty, actress Rekha, put on a nostalgic performance taking the audience back in time which, was rather ironic considering it was 2.20am when she took the stage. (The IIFA Awards finale show ended at a decent 3am on Monday, having kicked off at 10 the night before!)
Shraddha Kappor was one of many who were awestruck with Rekha's performance and said: "I have just watched the best performance of my life and possibly the best one I will ever see. When a shooting star decides to come down to Earth and the entire audience is awestruck by her performance. Rekhaji, there are no words to describe how lucky we all are that we got to experience your magic right before our eyes. You all are in for the treat of a lifetime."
Though the awards night could well have been dubbed "The Anil Kapoor Show", considering how much we saw of "Mr India" onstage, it also featured mesmerising performances from the current lines of Bollywood stardom -- Ranbir Kapoor who swung onto the stage (literally), complete with a rockstar look and guitar in hand; Varun Dhawan, who almost had his shirt ripped off to display his six-pack by fellow actors; Shraddha Kapoor, whose energetic performance rocked; Arjun Kapoor, who had the most virility onstage; Bobby Deol, who brought Soldier back; Kriti Sanon, who towered above the rest; and Lulia Vantur, who showed off her vocals and dance moves. They were joined by the rising stars of Kartik Aaryan and Ayushmann Khurrana.
This year, IIFA paid tribute to two of the most celebrated actors of Indian cinema -- the legendary Shashi Kapoor and Bollywood diva, the late Sridevi, who also won Best Performance in a Lead Role (Female) for Mom, posthumously. Joined by Arjun Kapoor on stage, Boney Kapoor accepted the award on behalf of his late wife.
The glamorous night also saw venerated actor Anupam Kher being presented with the prestigious "IIFA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema". The "Style Icon Of The Year Award" went to Bareilly Ki Barfi actor Kriti Sanon, who walked the green carpet in a shimmeringly structured Mark Bumgarner metallic silver ballgown.
In contrast, Shraddha Kapoor's Reem Acra pink and red satin gown was bland despite the plunging neckline, which failed to add oomph.
The event's "green" theme did not just start and end with the green carpet. IIFA teamed up with Dia Mirza, UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India, to promote the "Beat Plastic Pollution" campaign with the message: "If you can't reuse it, refuse it!"
Karan Johar delivered his own spin on the phrase during the weekend too, saying: "If you can't reuse talent, refuse it." The IIFA has always championed the truly deserving and best, and we hope that it continues to be a bastion of honesty and integrity for India's tinseltown.
Awards put spotlight on awareness
The IIFA once sported the Red Carpet but exchanged it for the now-iconic Green Carpet in 2012 to bring attention to global environmental issues. Besides promoting avoiding plastic, the glamorous stage also raises awareness for gender equality, female empowerment and equality in the workplace. For the very first time this year, IIFA is also championing the preservation of cinema heritage. A large selection of authentic film memorabilia, be it hand-painted posters or black and white photographs, were on display at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Hotel before their auction on June 23. Held in collaboration with IIFA and Osian, India's foremost arts and cultural institution and auction house, this was the first-ever Cinema Heritage Auction outside of India.
