The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) announced the 17th Edition of the most spectacular celebration of Indian Cinema globally to be held in the capital of Spain- Madrid from 23rd – 26th of June this year! Videocon d2h IIFA weekend 2016 festivities will include the FICCI – IIFA Global Business Forum, IIFA Stomp in collaboration with MULAFEST Urban Trends Festival, IIFA Rocks, along with the glamorous awards night, NEXA IIFA Awards 2016. Recreating the magic of Indian cinema, the 17th edition of the IIFA Celebrations will play host to some of the most celebrated stars of the Indian film industry, notable guests, and dignitaries from India and the region, world media and Indian cinema fans from across the globe.
Speaking on the occasion, Wiz Andre Timmins, Director – Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, said, “2016 is an exciting year for IIFA to be hosted in Madrid as this year also marks the 60th anniversary celebration of India & Spain diplomatic relations. The platform of IIFA helps enhance the celebrations with a dynamic and diverse exchange of art, film, culture, music, fashion and business culminating into a gift of opportunity to bring both countries even closer together. The IIFA Weekend in Madrid is going to be a star-studded affair with excitement and anticipation growing hugely among the industry and more fans to come to Spain in June. It will be a magical and memorable time for locals and visitors that will get to witness the stunning performances live on stage at the spectacular IFEMA – Feria de Madrid. As ever this year is set to be a bigger and better extravaganza of entertainment than ever before!”
The highlights of the Weekend Festivities, the NEXA IIFA Awards 2016 hosts were revealed – the multitalented Farhan Akhtar and the versatile actor Shahid Kapoor. The awards ceremony in Madrid will witness awe-inspiring performances by Bollywood’s very own crème de la crème Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Sonakshi Sinha, among others.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Luis Cueto, Coordinador General de la Alcaldía de Madrid said, “It is a privilege for Madrid to host the 2016 IIFA Weekend & Awards. It is a unique opportunity that brings together the power of a spectacular show, the strength of an innovative touristic investment and the greatness of a cultural partnership. Madrid can’t imagine a better project for the city this year”.
Mr. RS Kalsi, Executive Director, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “We are delighted to associate with NEXA IIFA Awards 2016 for the second year, last year we showcased our Premium crossover S-Cross at IIFA. This year we will showcase how NEXA is at the forefront of bringing innovation & delivering outstanding experiences. NEXA is not just an automotive brand but also a lifestyle brand. NEXA is all about newer and premium experiences, just like IIFA which builds lifetime experiences and felicitates excellence in Indian cinema at a global stage”.
Mr. Saurabh Dhoot, Executive Chairman – Videocon d2h says, “IIFA awards over the years have grown tremendously in terms of scale and extravaganza. This year’s Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend promises to be yet another milestone with lots of entertainment, glamour & innovation. Videocon d2h is today the 1st Indian media company to be listed on Nasdaq, USA. IIFA and Videocon d2h are perfect examples of Indian brands making a huge mark globally.”
Commenting on partnering with IIFA for the second time in a row, said Mr. Raj Nayak, CEO – COLORS, “IIFA 2015 was a thundering success. This year we intend to take this Bollywood extravaganza a couple of notches higher than last year. IIFA for Colors is not only a win-win partnership, but is also a social investment where we congregate the who’s who of the film fraternity under one roof away from India and give the global citizens a glimpse of their favorite stars. With the beautiful Madrid as the venue for IIFA 2016, we are looking at close to 600 million viewers from across the globe to regale in this extraordinary celebration of the Indian Film Industry on the Colors platform.”
Mr. Pankaj Munjal, Chairman and Managing Director, Hero Cycles Pvt. Ltd. added, “At Hero Cycles, we have long campaigned for Indian cities to be bicycle-friendly as a way to improve both the environment and cut down the consumption of fossil fuels, we now foresee a revolution of sorts when we see millions of Indians taking up bicycling as a lifestyle sport, recreation and a way of life. To usher in this change and promote this and much more, we believe IIFA is one of the biggest and best platforms to reach out to people and get their favorite Bollywood celebrities to inspire, and urge an entire nation to be healthier, physically active and enjoy outdoors and cycling today and forever”.
Excited to host the most coveted awards of Indian Cinema, the successful film maker, actor, musician and writer all rolled into one, Farhan Akhtar said, “I am looking forward to hosting the IIFA Awards with Shahid Kapoor and enthralling the audience all over again. We had previously hosted the 14th IIFA celebrations in the US and had a wonderful time so I am really excited to relive the experience and spread the magic of Bollywood especially in Madrid, Spain. IIFA goes a long way in broadening the horizon for the Indian film industry and the celebrations are something that we all eagerly await and I am super excited to be a part of!”
The FICCI- IIFA Global Business Forum 2016 is a part of the Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend, in Madrid and will be held on the 24th of June, 2016. Organized by FICCI and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, The FICCI- IIFA Global Business Forum 2016 will see powerful minds coming together to address global issues of renewable energy and climate change. This year, the Business Forum at IIFA will hold a greater significance as it marks 60 years of relations between India and Spain. As a platform, the FICCI- IIFA Global Business Forum will be stimulating space for business between India and Spain and subsequently paving the way for better relations between India, Europe and Latin America. Highlights to include innovation and entrepreneurship, soft power, global issues of renewable energy and climate change.
Additionally, another facet of the IIFA extravaganza which is all set to make its way to Madrid, bringing together the best of Spanish and Indian culture is the IIFA Stomp in collaboration with MULAFEST Urban Trends Festival, organized by the MULA community and IFEMA with a line-up that underlines its electronic heart, with pioneering artists from the international scene- Indian DJs and musicians like Raghu Dixit Project, B.R.E.E.D, Midival Punditz featuring Karsh Kale and friends, and Nucleya, setting the stage on fire at MULAFEST that coincides with the 17th IIFA celebrations in Spain.
Commenting on the major announcements about the NEXA IIFA Awards, Anil Kapoor, Actor and Friend of IIFA said, “The NEXA IIFA Awards are one of the most coveted and honest awards celebrations. I have been closely associated with the Academy and have been a part of numerous IIFA journeys, but each time I am amazed by its grandeur and the effort that goes into making it what it is today. Having worked in international films, I have noticed that IIFA goes a long way in bringing out the best of the Indian film industry and presenting it before the world on this great platform. I was also in Spain for the announcement recently to see the warm welcome by the fans of IIFA there; I was swept away. So I am eagerly looking forward to the Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend and I’m sure it’s going to be more special than ever before.”
Mr. Anil Khera, CEO – Videocon d2h added, “Videocon d2h is proud to continue its association with IIFA for the 8th year in a row. Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend is a spectacular event celebrating talent in the entertainment industry and is a perfect brand fit for us. The IIFA Awards have striven to achieve a perfect balance of public opinion and critical appreciation across the globe. Videocon d2h will continue to support and encourage this endeavor to take Indian Cinema to a global audience.”
With the perfect destination to host the gala celebrations, the International Indian Film Academy is all geared up to unfold and present a breathtaking amalgamation of two richly diverse countries and cultures. IIFA 2016 aims at bringing the magic of Indian Cinema not only to Spain but to Latin America as well.
The Title Sponsor for the weekend celebrations this year are Videocon D2h, the Title Sponsors for the Awards are Maruti Suzuki and Hero Cycles are the Cause Partners. IIFA Awards celebrations will air exclusively on Broadcast partners, Colors TV.
