Bollywood director and producer Karan Johar will join returning host, filmmaker Farah Khan, for IIFA Rocks, the musical and fashion night preceding the main awards gala at the International Indian Film Academy Awards in Abu Dhabi.
To be held at the Etihad Arena on February 10, Johar and Khan will entertain Bollywood fans along with top performers including rapper Badshah, singer and music director Amit Trivedi, singer Sunidhi Chauhan and EDM producer Nucleya.
“I’ve shared a special bond with IIFA for over two decades. It will be a pleasure to rock the stage with Farah," Johar said.
The director, who also hosts the hugely popular celebrity talk show Koffee with Karan, was named as host of IIFA Rocks earlier this year, but had to cancel owing to scheduling conflicts after the event was postponed to June 3 and 4 from its original May date following the death of Sheikh Khalifa.
The IIFA Awards, which recognise the best Hindi films and actors from the previous year, are usually held in a different city every year, but it is returning to Abu Dhabi for the second year in a row next year. Celebrations will begin with IIFA Rocks, followed by the main awards gala the following night on February 11.
Scroll through the gallery below for pictures from IIFA Rocks 2022 in Abu Dhabi
“In 2017, Alia Bhatt had New York enthralled when she sang my song Kar Gayi Chull from her film Kapoor and Sons at the IIFA Awards. This year, I will be there in person to regale you with some of my popular hits. So, fasten your seat belts and prepare for a rocking landing,” Badshah said.
Chauhan, who remains the youngest nominee for Best Female Playback Singer for Mehboob Mere from the film Fiza (2000), has been nominated 17 times and won the award twice for the Dhoom (2004) title track Dhoom Machale and Omkara’s (2006) Beedi.
“This year, IIFA gives me a platform to entertain my extended family of fans from across the world. It’s going to be an amazing spectacle; we will rock Abu Dhabi!” she said.
Bollywood stars Ranveer Singh, Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon are set to perform on the gala night while actors Farhan Akhtar and Abhishek Bachchan will play host along with actor Maniesh Paul.
"I’m excited to be headlining IIFA again with a performance that hopefully will be memorable to all those attending it," Singh said.
"I’m thrilled for this one because I will be performing at Yas Island, my home away from home. As the brand ambassador for such a spectacular destination, I cannot wait to showcase the island to my friends from the industry, as well as to those attending this event as an audience. I’m anticipating the most incredible IIFA experience to date at Yas because I know it will be epic in every way possible."
First held in London in 2000, the IIFA Awards were conceptualised by Mumbai event company Wizcraft International Entertainment and have been instrumental in boosting Bollywood's popularity globally.
Dubai hosted the event, in 2006, and so has Bangkok, New York, Colombo, Amsterdam, Madrid, Florida, Kuala Lumpur and Macau.
This year's event marked the first time it was held in Abu Dhabi, attended by more than 20,000 fans across two days, IIFA organisers said.
Tickets, starting at Dh110, are on sale now at etihadarena.ae
Scroll through the gallery for pictures from the IIFA Awards 2022 gala in Abu Dhabi
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New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
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When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
