IIFA 2018 all set to shine out in Bangkok: Rekha to perform on stage after 20 years.

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards are eagerly awaited for every year. This year it will be organised back in the Thai capital after a decade. The function will commence from Thursday and this year it will feature many unique performances and elements that will make IIFA 2018 stand out from the others.

A major highlight would be veteran actor Rekha performing live on stage after 20 years. Apart from this, IIFA 2018 will be a light-bearer for causes like women empowerment, gender equality and plastic pollution.

IIFA Awards first marked territory in 2000, and it has only gained greater popularity, ever since. Before Bangkok, IIFA Awards have taken place at picturesque locales like Johannesburg, Amsterdam, Dubai, Colombo, Toronto, Singapore, Tampa Bay, Kuala Lumpur and New York.
For its 19th edition, the organisers have a glittering show planned at the 2,000-seater Siam Niramit in Bangkok.

"We're excited to go back to Bangkok. There are a lot of interesting things we are doing and we hope this edition becomes exciting for people to come and have fun," Andre Timmins, one of the three forces behind Wizcraft International, told IANS.

Apart from being a favourite tourist spot worldwise, Bangkok also has ample Indian population residing in there. Apart from the visual spectacle the organisers intend to offer to fans, IIFA has tied up UN Environment for the campaign "Beat Plastic Pollution", the theme for World Environment Day 2018. Actress Dia Mirza, the UN Environment goodwill ambassador for India, will march ahead leading this campaign at IIFA.

Causes of pivotal importance like Gender equality and women empowerment will also be addressed at the event.
The three-day gala will witness the presence of some of Hindi filmdom's iconic stars and new actors on the red carpet, in the audience and on stage. Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Bobby Deol and Nushrat Bharucha are among those in the performers' line-up, but Rekha's stage act will clearly be a highlight at the awards night, hosted by Riteish Deshmukh and Karan Johar.

Being a rare sight at awards functions, it will be overwhelming for Bobby Deol to perform at one. He told the IANS, "I am excited to be a part of it. For me, performing after seven years in IIFA is something that I am looking forward to. There will be a few of my hit songs from my earlier films... and 'Race 3' songs. That's what I have kind of planned."

Another major line-up for this year’s IIFA awards is the giving over of the Lifetime Achievement Award to veteran actor Anupam Kher. Arjun Kapoor who hosted the 16th edition of IIFA Awards will be seen performing on stage this time. "I'm excited about dancing at IIFA," Arjun said. 

A "nervous" Nushrat told IANS: "I am performing on all four songs of mine and all of them are from 'Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety'. We start with performing on 'Bom diggy' then 'Chhote chhote peg', 'Dil chori' and then 'Kaun Nachdi'. I am just really glad that I have a superhit album where the whole performance only needs my film songs and nothing else. I am very happy to be dancing to my own songs."
 

IIFA Rocks,the musical night before the IIFA Awards, will be held on June 22nd and will be hosted by actors Kartik Aryan and Ayushmann Khurana.
"I will be hosting IIFA Rocks for the third time. I am also doing one crazy segment in the main awards... Apart from hosting, I will be doing their weekend stories and exploring the night life in Bangkok which will be adventurous for sure," Ayushmann told IANS.
 

Fashion designer-director Vikram Phadnis and Myntra will be joining forces to create an exclusive line for the gala, and will showcase his work at IIFA Rocks.
"It will be a deep, dark all-black collection," Phadnis said, adding that "fashion plays a very important role in the celebration of cinema".
the event will be aired on Colors’ channel a day after.

(With IANS Inputs)