The 22nd edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) or IIFA Weekend and Awards on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi will take Bollywood into the Metaverse with fans getting a chance to get just that bit closer to their favourite stars.
Taking place on June 3 and 4 at the Etihad Arena, the IIFA will also extend digitally with a Bollyverse experience that will take fans backstage at the awards, on to the green carpet, at the rehearsals and the after party.
IIFA backstage will give a sneak peek at everything that goes on behind the scenes to bring this event to life. The Metaverse experience will feature stars getting ready, the make-up, the line-up and all the buzz behind the scenes.
“Over the past 22 years IIFA has entertained and offered the greatest unforgettable experiences for audiences around the world. This year marks the 22nd Edition of IIFA Weekend & Awards in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and IIFA is excited that as an extension of the brand we will be the first International Indian Film Award Show to go into The Metaverse,” said Noreen Khan, Vice President, IIFA. “As always IIFA will be bringing together the very best in Bollywood talent for the metaverse, where even more millions of fans can enjoy the experience.”
An Avatar studio will also be available where fans can create their digital double, along with an Xsens experience where one can teleport their dance moves to the Metaverse.
The IIFA Awards are often compared to the Indian Oscars, with the event travelling to a new country every year.
Of the celebrity names who will be attending the IIFA weekend in Abu Dhabi, which includes IIFA Rocks and the main awards, will be veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, Lara Dutta, Tamannaah Bhatia, Nargis Fakri, Bobby Deol, Arjun Rampal, Sanya Malhotra, Urvashi Rautela and film producer Boney Kapoor.
The best of music and fashion will be presented on the Etihad Arena stage on June 3 at IIFA Rocks, with hosts Farah Khan Kunder and Aparshakti Khurana leading the charge.
The celebrated director and choreographer and actor Khurana will be joined on stage in a night of melodies with performances by Devi Sri Prasad, Tanishk Bagchi, Guru Randhawa, Honey Singh, Neha Kakkar, Dhvani Bhanushali, Zahrah S Khan and Asees Kaur.
The IIFA Awards night on June 4 will be hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, along with actors Riteish Deshmukh and Maniesh Paul.
Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor and Tiger Shroff are two of the top-billed performers on the night, joining an already burgeoning list of celebrities that include Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Panday, Nora Fatehi and Divya Khosla Kumar.
Tickets are on sale and are priced at Dh110, Dh220, Dh330, Dh440, Dh550, Dh1,000 and Dh1,350. They will be available through the venue’s official website, www.etihadarena.ae/en/box-office, while fans can also head to yasisland.ae to snap up a travel package.
