Dubai: Zoya Akhtar's friendship drama Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara dominates this year's International Indian Film Academy Awards nominations list with a whopping 14 nominations, followed closely by The Dirty Picture with 13 nominations.
To be held in Singapore from June 7 to 9, the awards extravaganza is billed as Bollywood's Oscars and will see the who's who descend upon Lion City. The nominations list revealed on Thursday also puts the spotlight on Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Rockstar which has nine nominations, while Salman Khan's blockbuster Bodyguard is a front-runner with seven nominations under its belt.
"We are thoroughly pleased with the nominees which are a result of the film industry's secret ballot; and we hope the audience will make a worthy choice in deciding the winners of this year's IIFA accolades," said Sabbas Joseph, Director of Wizcraft International Entertainment in a statement.
While the nominations are chosen by the industry insiders, the winners are decided by the public in an online voting system.
This year, the competition is likely to be fierce among the actors too. In the category for Performances In A Leading Role (Male), Bodyguard hero Salman Khan will face stiff competition from Don 2 hero Shah Rukh Khan.
Legendary Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan is also in the running for his role as an upright disciplinarian in Aarakshan along with Ranbir Kapoor who impressed with his tortured-musician act in Rockstar.
Hrithik Roshan, who played a suave investment banker in ZNMD and on-screen cop Ajay Devgn in Singham are also in the running in this coveted best hero category.
On the leading ladies front, National Award winner Vidya Balan will try to round off this year by scooping an IIFA award and filling her ever-expanding trophy cabinet. For this, she needs to fight off Kareena Kapoor (Bodyguard), Priyanka Chopra (7 Khoon Maaf), Mahie Gill (Saheb Biwi aur Gangster), Kangna Ranaut (Tanu weds Manu).
