Salman Khan was too unwell to attend Thursday’s Arab-Indo Bollywood Awards (Aiba) press conference, organisers told tabloid!. The conference was ahead of Friday’s awards show at Meydan, for which Khan sought permission from Bombay High Court to attend.
“Salman is not keeping well. He has a bad throat,” Habeeb Rahiman, CEO of organisers Benchmark Media told tabloid!.
Khan arrived in Dubai late Wednesday night and his performance — said to feature a hot air balloon — is due to be a highlight of Aiba. His brother Arbaaz is on the awards jury but was also absent from the media briefing at Meydan on Thursday. Also missing on the panel was Priyanka Chopra, who was arriving late in the afternoon, Habib told tabloid!.
However, Chopra’s cousin Parineeti, who attended the conference, told media she would have loved to perform on stage with Chopra but not this time.
“Performing together with Priyanka is a good idea but not this time. I’m hardly going to meet her. I’m performing songs from the best film category. I’m slightly nervous,” Parineeti said.
Varun Dhawan, Neha Dhupia, film trade analyst Komal Nahta, filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia and comic Manish Paul joined Shahjahan, managing director of co-organisers Al Bustan Group, and Abdul Latif Al Sayegh, Aiba chairman, at the conference.
When asked if the Dubai audience will get to see his abs, Dhawan, who joined the panel towards the end of the meet, said: “Well I don’t know how much I will be allowed to expose on the stage tomorrow. But it’s Shiamak [Davar] choreographing, so there are going to be some daredevil moves. I will be performing Bezubaan from [his upcoming film] ABCD 2 for the first time on stage ever.”
Other spectacles tipped for the show include super cars and a golden carpet, hosted by Dhupia.
“I am excited about bringing some chatty conversations on the carpet. Most of the stars don’t know I am going to judge attires. It’s going to be a fun aspect.”
