RADIO SARGAM SPECIAL REPORT: IIFA AWARDS 2005 (AMSTERDAM)

The Samsung IIFA Awards Amsterdam to be held on June 11th, 2005 at the Amsterdam ArenA will see performances by various a-list Bollywood celebrities. Superstar of the Millennium - Amitabh Bachchan will deliver the Opening Address and Superstar Shahrukh Khan will host the glamorous celebration. Performers include Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Lara Dutta, Shahid Kapur, Kareena Kapoor, Esha Deol, Irrfan Khan, Emran Hashmi, Mallaika Arora - Khan, Isha Sharwani, Emran Hashmi, Tanushree Dutta, Daler Mehndi & Hariharan, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Sushma Reddy and international pop sensation Rouge. And the Samsung IIFA Awards event will open with a spectacular presentation from Amsterdam being designed by Amsterdam Partners, the city’s marketing agency and local partner.

This extravaganza, one of the main highlights of the IIFA Weekend will be held in the presence of a global audience including dignitaries from the world of cinema like Jaya Bachchan, Yash Chopra, A.R. Rahman, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Vivek Oberoi, Kajol, Ajay Devgan, Urmila Matondkar, Ramesh Sippy, J.P. Dutta to name a few. Other guests would include stalwarts from the world of business, politics and sports.

Much-admired film star Abhishek Bachchan will take the stage for his first-ever international performance at the spectacular IIFA Awards night at the magnificent Amsterdam ArenA. Over 10000 people will witness a spectacular show by the best of the Indian Film Industry. These breath-taking performances will be choreographed by the celebrated Shiamak Davar. As always, this year too the IIFA Awards will be Celebrating the Superstars of Indian Cinema and paying tribute to the stalwarts from the Indian silver screen.

The fun-filled and exciting Sixth IIFA Weekend in Amsterdam will be packed with a host of exhilarating events like the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match and the IIFA World Premiere. The celebrations will conclude with the crowning glory of the entire weekend - the Samsung IIFA Awards Amsterdam.

EXCLUSIVE: World premier Parineeta
As announced some weeks back, DUS would be premiered on the first day of the IIFA Weekend. However, the film has been postponed! On June the 9th we will now witness the premier of the film Parineeta, starring Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Diya Mirza, Raima Sen & Vidya Balan. It’s a film by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, also producer of films like 1942 – A Love Story, Khamosh, Parinda, Kareeb, Mission Kashmir & Munnabhai MBBS!

LAUNCH OF NEW FILMS:
During the IIFA Weekend several producers will be announcing their new projects. The producers of two films allready said that they are going to do this. Firstly we have Yagna, a film by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. This new film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt & Saif Ali Khan and the shooting allready begun on the first of May. There has been made a special trailer for the launch of the film which we are going to see. The second film which will be launched is Chocolate, with Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty, Amran Hasmi, Arshad Warsi & Irrfan Khan in the leading roles.

Written by Anil Fatingan. For more information on this year's IIFA, stayed logged onto Radio Sargam, and also visit: http://www.bollywoodawards.nl (an initiative of Bollywood Casting Agency Netherlands)