Singapore:
The 13th IIFA Weekend kicked offamid a lot of star power here today with actress Shabana Azmiand Tamil thespian Kamal Hassan emphasising that the Bollywoodextravaganza is widening its horizon to provide a globalplatform to regional cinema as well.
"We are celebrating all of Indian cinema here which isnot just Bollywood so this year we have also included cinemafrom the South, the biggest representative of which is MrKamal Hassan who is present here.
"Indian cinema is not homogenous, just like our culture,so IIFA is slowly trying to provide a global platform toregional cinema as well. This year we have South, we'll slowlymove to other regions as well," said Azmi.
Excerpts of Kamal's new film Viswaroopam will beshowcased on Friday at IIFA.
"Exclusive IIFA has become inclusive. The Indian filmindustry is very diverse and I am happy that the 13th IIFAawards have included Southern cinema in its world, a worldwhich also includes people like Shabana Azmi and Liv Ullmann.
"I am honoured to have got the opportunity to share thedias with these people and to show excerpts from my filmViswaroopam," Hassan said.
Famous Norwegian actress and director Liv Ullmann is atthe IIFA this year to show her film on her relationship withSwedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.
The three-day festival, which travels to a new countryevery year, is being attended by some of the leading Bollywoodstars like Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherjee, AbhayDeol, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Farhan Akhtar, Shahid Kapoor,Ranbir Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Preity Zinta and Bipasha Basu.
Amitabh Bachchan and his family, a regular at the IIFAuntil recently, will give the event a miss third time in arow. Shah Rukh Khan, a part of the festivities last year, hasalso decided to skip IIFA to finish shooting for Yash Chopra'snext film.
The event will include the world premiere of DibakarBanerjee's political thriller Shanghai, green carpet, IIFArocks, fashion show and a glittering award show at the end ofthe ceremony.
Zoya Akhtar's road trip drama Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaraand Vidya Balan's The Dirty Picture will be fighting it outat the IIFA this year.
ZMND leads the tally with 14 nods including best film,best actor for Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deolfor best supporting actor, Zoya Akthar for best director andbest music for Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
Ekta Kapoor's The Dirty Picture follows close with 13nominations including best film, best actress for Vidya Balanand best director for Milan Luthria.
Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar and Salman Khan's Bodyguard arealso in the race with nine and seven nods respectively.
Read: Prabhu Deva choreographs IIFA Awards: Your cheatsheet
"We are celebrating all of Indian cinema here which isnot just Bollywood so this year we have also included cinemafrom the South, the biggest representative of which is MrKamal Hassan who is present here.
"Indian cinema is not homogenous, just like our culture,so IIFA is slowly trying to provide a global platform toregional cinema as well. This year we have South, we'll slowlymove to other regions as well," said Azmi.
Excerpts of Kamal's new film Viswaroopam will beshowcased on Friday at IIFA.
"Exclusive IIFA has become inclusive. The Indian filmindustry is very diverse and I am happy that the 13th IIFAawards have included Southern cinema in its world, a worldwhich also includes people like Shabana Azmi and Liv Ullmann.
"I am honoured to have got the opportunity to share thedias with these people and to show excerpts from my filmViswaroopam," Hassan said.
Famous Norwegian actress and director Liv Ullmann is atthe IIFA this year to show her film on her relationship withSwedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.
The three-day festival, which travels to a new countryevery year, is being attended by some of the leading Bollywoodstars like Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherjee, AbhayDeol, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Farhan Akhtar, Shahid Kapoor,Ranbir Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Preity Zinta and Bipasha Basu.
Amitabh Bachchan and his family, a regular at the IIFAuntil recently, will give the event a miss third time in arow. Shah Rukh Khan, a part of the festivities last year, hasalso decided to skip IIFA to finish shooting for Yash Chopra'snext film.
The event will include the world premiere of DibakarBanerjee's political thriller Shanghai, green carpet, IIFArocks, fashion show and a glittering award show at the end ofthe ceremony.
Zoya Akhtar's road trip drama Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaraand Vidya Balan's The Dirty Picture will be fighting it outat the IIFA this year.
ZMND leads the tally with 14 nods including best film,best actor for Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deolfor best supporting actor, Zoya Akthar for best director andbest music for Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
Ekta Kapoor's The Dirty Picture follows close with 13nominations including best film, best actress for Vidya Balanand best director for Milan Luthria.
Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar and Salman Khan's Bodyguard arealso in the race with nine and seven nods respectively.
Read: Prabhu Deva choreographs IIFA Awards: Your cheatsheet
