"I'd like to win IIFA Award over Abhishek" - Big B 
By Faridoon Shahryar, April 4, 2007 - 05:50 IST
“I’d like to win IIFA Award for best supporting actor for KANK over Abhishek,” said IIFA brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan at the press conference to
announce the nominations for the eighth International Indian Film Awards (IIFA) to be held in the beatific English county Yorkshire from June 7-10th at an
event in Mumbai yesterday. Who all are performing and is Mr Shahrukh Khan going to be present (remember he skipped the last edition)? “You can get the
details….,” Mr Bachchan said, preferring to brush aside the SRK question.
The nomination list was given at the end of the event. And as expected there are no surprises considering we’ve already had several award shows this year and
the usual suspects like Raju Hirani’s Lage Raho Munnabhai and Rakeysh Mehra’s Rang De Basanti rule the roost. And while Vishal Bharadwaj is
nominated for the best director, his masterpiece Omkara isn’t in the reckoning for the best film. Ironical, but true. The announcement of the nominations was
done as a result of the industry voting in February. Results of the industry voting were audited by PriceWaterhouse Coopers, the auditing firm for the IFFA
and the Oscars.
So, the nominations may not have surprised but the mode of selection of winners promises to be different. The voting will be done online by the fans and
supporters of the Indian cinema from all over the world. Hmm…Haven’t we heard that before! Anyway…
The press conference also reiterated the announcement of the IIFA Bond for Global Cool, launched at the Madame Tussauds in London last week. Mr Bachchan
signed the bond along with British actress Sienna Miller. It addresses the pertinent issue of climate change across the world and this issue will be
addressed and advocated through the IIFA global campaign this year, especially during the IIFA Weekend and the IIFA Awards. Mr Bachchan in his address
pledged his family’s support (and yes it includes, the would-be daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai and no he didn’t confirm the April 20th D-day) for the cause of
Global Cool. On being asked if celebrity endorsement of causes like Polio and now Global Warming really make a difference, Big B said, “I think it does and
even if it doesn’t, shouldn’t anyone speak about such issues.”
Another announcement at the press conference was that of the Idea IIFA Star ki Talaash. A show hunting for two very ‘special’ Indian fans (They’ll be
selected through a reality show on Star TV) who will be given the opportunity to become a star at the IIFA Weekend in Yorkshire.
Let’s end with a few vignettes of film thoughts of Amitabh Bachchan whom Wizcraft (IIFA Weekend is conceptualized and promoted by Wizcraft International
Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.) director Sabas Joseph addressed as the “Symbol of India”: I’m honoured and privileged that IIFA has been celebrating Indian
cinema outside of Indian shores. It’s a wonderful way of blending commercial aspects of cinema, taking up causes and promoting tourism in the country where
IIFA is held each year. In the beginning of my career during my travels outside India, I was accosted by people who were not Indians who recognized us by our
names, songs and films. It gave Indian cinema respectability that it deserved. Earlier in our own country films were considered taboo. It was not a good
thing to think of going in films. I experienced it in my own family. We’ve come a long way. Today, when we travel abroad India is also known because of its
films.
It’s true. Bollywood is definitely a big reason for India’s claim to fame abroad. Even British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a video message expressed his
enthusiasm at the prospect of IIFA Awards at the Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire this year. Let’s wait and watch if all this hype translates into a
grand spectacle this summer.
|
