IIFA Awards 2017 New York | 5 Reasons Why You’d Love it in NYC

7.01.2017


Alia Bhatt says that “IIFA Awards is equivalent to Oscars for the Indian Cinema" Set to be held at the iconic MetLife Stadium on the 14th & 15th of July, this year the NEXA IIFA Awards will witness the felicitation of powerhouse performances and films at the highly anticipated Awards night. 14th July is IIFA Rocks Green Carpet (18:00 – 20:00 hrs) & IIFA Rocks ( 20:00 – 00:00 hrs) and 15th July is IIFA Awards GreenCarpet(18:00 – 20:00 hrs) & IIFA Awards(20:00– 01:00 hrs). On Sunday , 16th is IIFA closing party from 16:00 – 23:30 hrs.




The nominations for 2017 are now live on their website: http://www.iifa.com/nominations-2017/

Alia continues "I am very excited to be a part of IIFA 2017, as this is going to be my debut at the IIFAFestival after 5 years in the industry. I am super excited that IIFA is being held in the beautiful city of New York. IIFA is all about togetherness and the celebration of the Indian cinema globally and I eagerly look forward to this celebration”.

Salman Khan says "It always feels great to be a part of the IIFA Movement and I look forward to the 2017 IIFA Awards.That this IIFA would be better than all the IIFA’s we have seen before. He continues to say to the Asian Indians in USA “that it is because of us and our love towards Bollywood that is keeping them alive. He has a lot of respect for us that we kept our roots intact far from our own country” In his yet simple words he says “Ap logo ne apne roots nahi chode , ye jo bade busurg hai aur ap aur apke bache unhi ki waja se hum aur hamari industry jeevit hai” .

Katrina Kaif added saying, “I’m really excited and looking forward to performing at the IIFA Awards this year. It is such a great platform that not only showcases the celebration of cinema globally, but also it’s a great opportunity for us to reach out to our fans worldwide. I am excited that this year, it is happening in one of my favorite cities – New York!” She also says “She loves Bubby’s in Chelsea and it is the most important for her”.

As IIFA continues to bring together the biggest stars of Bollywood and Hollywood on one stage, the IIFA Weekend And Awards will play host to some of the most celebrated stars and musicians of the Indian film industry, notable guests, and dignitaries from India and the region, world media and Indian cinema fans from across the globe.
#IIFA 2017

On why you must visit IIFA!

We, Indians, love Bollywood, no matter what they say!

A lot of my friends have been asking me why watch IIFA in New York, TV pe to aega na. But every time there is an award, we are glued to our screens. The anticipation of who would win and who would not, makes us stick. The difference lies in watching a live show/concert vs listening to the same music on youtube or TV. Imagine how drool worthy a selfie would be with a celebrity on a green carpet! Or even if not a selfie “It is immense pride to tell to your family that we saw our favorite actor, actresses, stars in front of our eyes!” And that excitement can be very well be seen with New Jerseyites here!


Now we have always seen these star-studded Bollywood extravaganza from behind the scenes from our TV’s , Laptop’s or Movie Halls. Frankly, it wasn’t until I spotted Arjun Kapoor in Central Park NYC shooting for Half Girlfriend that had several retakes with the audience and the director-producer crew that made me realize “Omg! Thats hard work for a scene”. I was also the one clapping in the audience as part of the scene but after a while my patience ran out and I moved sideways. So, a lot of times I hear people saying “Arre Bollywood is all about dance and drama and running around the trees” but “Who said entertainment has to be serious shit.Life is already serious shit so if entertainment makes our heart go lala , nothing wrong with that!” Bollywood has emerged to be one of the fantastic story tellers via various mediums - it makes both realistic films and films that takes us to dreamland, it makes songs that we can dance or listen to radio on and it remains in our blood.

Arjun Kapoor in Central Park for Half Girlfriend.

Here are top 5 reasons on why NYC makes it so special:

Celebrity Spotting: In a past few weeks, I have taken a few tours of the city and what I get, is New York is celebrities place. Now you walk on the Highline and there’s this condo on the Meat packing district which is popular with celebrities. So a lot of folks actually stand on that particular spot on the Highline and gaze. New Yorkers generally don’t care - so don’t be surprised if a celebrity like Tom Hanks walk past and no heads turn. It can be just a random spotting and this is a busy city. I was on another tour, where this guide told me about the old police headquarters on the Mulberry Street which is oppupied now by models and celebrities. In a quiet hush voice he said “I have heard "Leonardo Di Caprio” lives here! Well… This is Mumbai of USA!


The Highline - a good place to spot celebrities.


Favorites with TV icons & old movie stars: In 2000, Samantha one of the daring girls from Sex and the city moved to the meatpacking district and a lot of scenes was shot in various bars, restaurants and clubs in the area. One of the iconic movie scenes from “When Harry Met Sally” was shot in Katz Deli in New York. In fact, when you watch the movie again, a lot of places are from New York.


The well known Katz's Delicatessen on the lower east side of Manhattan. This fairly famous delicatessen was used in the film "When Harry Met Sally"( photo from Shutterstock )

Multiple Movies Shot (Both Bollywood and Hollywood): Blockbuster movies such as Kal Ho Na Ho, English Vinglish, My Name is Khan and New York was shot in New York. A lot of Hollywood movies including New York and King Kong was shot in New York. Where you see big buildings with an incredible skyline with Hudson, you know that's New York!

Fashion Shows Worldwide: New York is one of the 4 fashion capitals of the world. So when we are having an event of Green Carpet in IIFA #NewYork then it has to eye popping! Plus there’s lot to shop in New York.



Hub of Entertainment & Arts: Whether its catching up on Broadway shows in Manhattan or whether its catching up with Good Morning America in Central Park or Apollo Theatre in Harlem, or watching a graffiti of Audrey Hepburn which was part of lisa project for a film festival on Mulberry Street, New York is a haven for creative lovers!

Apollo Theatre (Photo on Shutterstock)

Broadway shows & Neon Lights at Times sq (Photo from Shutterstock)


Plus Statue of Liberty & Empire State Building

...and a street art garden!

Street Artist Triston Eaton had installed a mural of Audrey Hepburn in Mulberry Street


..And with such iconic connection to Films, New York itself is a great place of Entertainment. Whether you are sitting on a Times Square and watching people perform or whether it is kids who jump in the fountain of Washington park or whether it is random strangers performing gymnastics in the subway trains, you will never feel alone or disappointment. One more reason to make it to your list.

Who would host IIFA

Saif Ali Khan and Karan Johar would host the upcoming NEXA IIFA Awards Powered By VIVO at the iconic MetLife Stadium. Bollywood's Youth Icon, Varun Dhawan is all set to make a debut at IIFA Awards with a stunning performance and will be also be seen co- hosting a segment of the star-studded awards night. 

And if you are already here, you must be lucky. Because Salman Khan’s humor can light up our hearts and Varun Dhawan’s dance moves our spirits!

We know Karan’s witty from Koffee with Karan and we know Saif Ali Khan is all up for giving us a great time.

Karan Johar said, “IIFA is the most awaited international award function of the Indian film fraternity. I am excited and look forward to hosting the 18th Edition of the IIFA Weekend And Awards. New York will be spellbound with the magic of IIFA!”

Saif Ali Khan added saying. "I am happy to be back to the IIFA stage this year as I join my close friend Karan Johar to host the IIFA Awards in New York. The excitement for IIFA has been steadily growing worldwide. This year it's going to be super fun and glamorous in every way as Karan and I are going to have lots of surprises in store for our fans internationally!”

Varun Dhawan shared saying, "I am absolutely excited to be a part of IIFAAwards in New York this year. I'm looking forward to join everyone and see fans at the amazing MetLife stadium. This year is truly going to be a grand celebration and I can't wait to be there!”

..And the nominations are..

Indian Cinema has had an incredible year with a diverse number of truly unique films that not only took the box office by storm but were also critically acclaimed. Leading the race with a whopping 8 nominations in the popular categories along with Best Picture is Ae DIl Hai Mushkil followed by the biopic of the Former Indian Cricket Team Captain – M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story bagging 7 nominations in popular categories including the Best Picture nominations. Top Contenders for Best Picture category are Neerja, Pink, Sultan and Udta Punjab.

The nominees for Best Actor in Leading Role Male are Shahid Kapoor for Udta Punjab, Ranbir Kapoor for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Shah Rukh Khan for Fan, Sushant Singh Rajput for M.S. Dhoni, Amitabh Bachchan for Pink and Salman Khan for Sultan. The nominees for Leading Role Female are Anushka Sharma for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Alia Bhatt for Dear Zindagi & Udta Punjab, Sonam Kapoor for Neerjaand Tapsee Pannu for Pink. The Best Director nominations feature Karan Johar(Ae Dil Hai Mushkil), Neeraj Pandey (M.S. Dhoni), Ram Madhvani (Neerja), Aniruddha Roy Chowdhary (Pink), Ali Abbas Zafar (Sultan) and Abhishek Chaubey (Udta Punjab)..

What is IIFA Rocks

IIFA Rocks has always been a star-studded affair with a mélange of glitz, glamour and star power. It is a celebrated global event that has been growing each year. This year, IIFA Rocks will celebrate 25 years of A. R. Rahman in the industry. The show is set to feature a never seen before medley of musicians that includes Diljit Dosanjh, Benny Dayal, Javed Ali, Neeti Mohan, Jonita Gandhi and Haricharan Seshadri. IIFA Rocks will be hosted by the charismatic duo Riteish Deshmukh and Manish Paul.

Where can you get the tickets

With the excitement growing across the world, people can now get that hot seat for the spectacular 2017 IIFA Weekend & Awards at New York events to be hosted at MetLife Stadium as tickets are LIVE to the general public available online only at ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000 or by simply clicking the ‘Buy Tickets Tab’ on the official IIFA website http://www.iifa.com/. Fans can also purchase the tickets at MetLife Stadium Box Office (Box Office hours: M – F, 11am – 5pm). For VIP Club Experiences, e-mail us at vipclub@iifa.com. IIFA has a special treat for its fans, “The Double Dhamaka Offer”. Get two shows for the price of one. Buy any IIFA Awards premium seating tickets for Ground Level and Level 100 seats and get free tickets to IIFA Rocks. The Nexa IIFA Awards will air exclusively on Broadcast Partners, Colors TV with the Title Sponsor NEXA, and Powered by VIVO.

What is IIFA?

About IIFA (International Indian Film Academy)

Conceptualized and produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. and supported by the key members of the Indian film fraternity, IIFA is the most appreciated South Asian film academy and a global platform that gives the Indian film fraternity an opportunity to reach audiences in international territories. The alliances made via the platform of IIFA provide huge benefits and gain to India but an equally important objective of this prestigious brand is to create similar outcomes in its host country.  The aim is to establish a system of mutual benefit to both India as well as the host destinations by boosting tourism, economic development, trade, culture, cross-border investments and film co-productions.

Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd promotes the IIFA Weekend & Awards globally each year and travel to new, exciting and beautiful destinations, taking the film fraternity with it to unite and celebrate the best of Indian film and culture, thereby taking Indian Cinema and India to a wider audience. www.iifa.com


Why MetLife Stadium?

  ABOUT METLIFE STADIUM MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Jets and New York Football Giants, is the number one stadium in the world. This 82,500 seat stadium, one of the largest in the National Football League, sets the standard for venue excellence with state-of-the-art technology, comfort and amenities. The only active venue to serve as the home stadium for two NFL teams, MetLife Stadium hosts 20 NFL games per season, more than any other Stadium.

  MetLife Stadium hosts the World’s Biggest Events, on the World’s Biggest Stage. Major events hosted at the stadium include Super Bowl XLVIII, WrestleMania 29, Copa America Centenario, CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinals, Paul McCartney, U2, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift

  MetLife Stadium tops the industry charts annually since opening. The Stadium has ranked as the No. 1 Highest Grossing Stadium in the world for the last 5 years (2012 – 2016) by Billboard magazine. In 2011 MetLife Stadium was ranked No. 1 for safety by Security magazine’s “Security 500” in the Arenas/Stadiums/Leagues/Entertainment division.

  For more information, visit:
  www.metlifestadium.com
  www.wizcraftworld.com

  What representatives & management says

Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, Consul General of India said, "I am delighted that IIFA is coming to New York this year. This is an extremely timely initiative and will no doubt help in giving further visibility to Bollywood in this lively cultural capital of the world. Bollywood films speak a universal language which everyone across cultures and languages can relate to. I am sure New York will be dazzled by the glamour, sheer beauty, charm and power of our films and what they stand for.”

Coinciding with the launch of Air India’s new Non-Stop flight between Delhi and Washington DC from July 07, 2017, IIFA is holding its Weekend and Awards event at New York from July 13-15 2017. Air India has associated with IIFA as its Official Airline Partner for the above event. Commenting on its partnership, Mr. Pankaj Srivastava, Air India’s Commercial Director stated, “Both IIFA and Air India are true ambassadors of India’s rich cultural heritage and are in the business of connecting people and regions around the globe, creating bridges to enhance tourism and business opportunities at either end.”

On bringing forth another delightful IIFA experience to the global viewers Raj Nayak, Chief Operating Officer, Viacom18, said “COLORS has been at the forefront of many firsts. The beginning of the year we brought to the viewer’s one of the biggest programming disrupters – a LIVE reality show called Rising Star and now, we bring another innovation as we gear up to beam the 18th edition of IIFA LIVE and real time to the viewers worldwide for the very first time and also internationally. No longer will the viewers have to wait to satiate their anticipation as this time they will get to see all the action unfold in actual time and in all its splendor across 140 countries. Our aim is to take IIFA to the level of the Oscars and beaming it LIVE is a step towards that direction. I thank the entire film fraternity for their support in this endeavor of ours as we gather together to celebrate the growth and prosperity of Indian cinema.” Speaking of the association, Mr. R. S Kalsi, Executive director, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki said “We are delighted to associate with NEXA IIFA Awards 2017 for the third consecutive year. NEXA and IIFA are symbolic of breaking the status-quo and creating experiences which are new and exciting. NEXA is synonymous with offering premium experiences matched with spectacular segment defining products like S-Cross, Baleno, Ignis and Ciaz. NEXA creates moments which consumers experience just like IIFA which builds lifetime experiences and felicitates excellence in Indian cinema at a global stage”

Delighted at the association, Vivek Zhang, CMO, Vivo India, said, “We are thrilled to have partnered with the most coveted platform representing Indian cinema globally. As a global smartphone brand, we constantly try to connect closely with our target audience in different parts of the country. We believe that the popularity of India International Film Awards (IIFA) is a splendid opportunity for Vivo to strengthen connect with the right audience and create a strong brand recall. Our latest offering in the Indian market is a step ahead in our endeavor to revolutionize the selfie phenomenon.”

Commenting on the occasion, Ananth Narayanan, CEO, Myntra-Jabong says, "The strong bond between Bollywood and fashion needs no foreword! An association between the nations’s leading destination for fashion online and the most awaited screen award ceremony in the country makes for an excellent combination that symbolically connects these brands with consumers. IIFA represents glamour and fashion and we are looking forward to a long-standing relationship with them as their fashion partners."

Commenting on the occasion, Andre Timmins, Director- Wizcraft International, the producers and creator of the IIFA movement says, “We are excited and looking forward to mark the 18th edition of events with IIFA premiering in New York. There is unprecedented hype and anticipation building across USA for the return of the Indian film fraternity this year. I am so pleased to have announced today that our hosts for NEXA IIFA Awards powered by Vivo are Karan Johar and Saif Ali Khan. This dynamic duo are all set for an entertainment extravaganza like never before. The line-up is also being enhanced with even more star power with Varun Dhawan making his debut performance on the IIFA stage with a spectacular act and co-hosting for a special segment this year. So get ready for one of the greatest nights of Indian entertainment ever."

Ankionthemove has got the media accreditation for the event and I am looking forward to being there on both days. Travel , Fashion and Lifestyle Brands interested in collaborations / content please get in touch with ankionthemove@gmail.com

3 comments

  1. Amazing information about recent IIFA awards glad to read it,as i am a fan of Indian cinema i find it interesting thanks for sharing this post.

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