Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath at IIFA 2020
Starting its journey from London 20 years ago and traversing across major world cities, the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA Awards) will this year travel to Indore, Madhya Pradesh's commercial hub that will host the mega Bollywood event from March 27 to 29. This was announced by IIFA organisers in the presence of Bollywood actors Salman Khan and Jacqueline Fernandez and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath at a press conference.
Salman, who shares deep connect with Indore, will be hosting the three-day event, which mixes glitz, glamour and marketing, for the first time, the organisers said. An event related to the IIFA Awards will be held in Bhopal on March 21, while the main function will be organised in Indore from March 27 to 29, they said.
This will be the 21st edition of the IIFA Awards which were first presented in 2000 in London. So far, IIFA Award functions have been held in 12 countries in cities like Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Colombo, Toronto, Madrid and Macau.
Indore will be only the second Indian city, after Mumbai in 2019, to host the high-profile event, generally, a star-studded programme attended by who's who of the Hindi film industry. Indore is not just the birthplace of legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar but also of Salman.
Here's what CM Kamal Nath said at the conference:
During the press conference, CM Kamal Nath said that the first time he heard about IIFA, he thought it is a football event.
Kamal Nath said that at first when he told IIFA officials to conduct the event in Indore, they thought, he was joking. It was later they gave it a thought.
''Though Madhya Pradesh is not endowed with sea or snow, we have vast forests and rich cultural heritage with good landscape and simple people, which is a major thing. We wanted to change the profile of the state. If the identity of the state changes, then it will attract investment which comes with credibility," he said.
Here's what Salman Khan said at IIFA 2020 press conference:
Salman Khan expressed his happiness with Madhya Pradesh hosting this mega Bollywood event for the first time. The superstar said that it seems he is in his home ground and playing at the front foot.
Referring to CM Kamal Nath, Salman Khan said, ''He has so much energy that I won't address him as my elder brother, but a younger one."
Salman said that he did his schooling from Indore and Gwalior's Scindia School. "Whatever I am today is because of the education that I got here,'' he said.
The popular filmstar said his five-six generations belong to Madhya Pradesh and reminisced that he used to spend his winter and summer vacations in Indore's Old Palasia area.
Also Read: From London in 2000 to Indore in 2020, IIFA has come a long way
