An all-star cricket match at Headingley in Leeds and a birthday bash for Celebrity Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty were among the main attractions on day two of this year’s International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards.
They certainly had plenty to live up to, however, after the glitz and glamour of the world premiere of Bollywood blockbuster The Train at Cineworld in Castleford last night.
Around 500 fans turned out to cheer cast members as they strode up the green carpet, chosen to highlight the four-day extravaganza’s partnership with environmental awareness campaign group Global Cool.
Despite yesterday’s chilly weather, the film’s leading man, Emraan Hashmi, confessed he had already fallen in love with the county – and might even consider buying a house in the area.
He said: “It’s beautiful. Beautiful people and beautiful-looking women. I could definitely see myself living here.”
Earlier in the day Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan swept into Leeds Town Hall to officially launch the IIFA celebrations with a press conference in the historic surroundings of the building’s Victoria Hall.
He told a 250-strong audience how the people of Yorkshire had won his heart in the 12 months since it was chosen as the awards venue for 2007.
Mr Bachchan, voted entertainer of the millennium in a 1999 BBC poll, said: “We have had several wonderful visits here. The warmth and affection has been unbelievable.”
The man known to his fans as the ‘Big B’ was greeted on the steps of the Town Hall by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Brian Cleasby.
Representatives from the Yorkshire Tourist Board and regional development agency Yorkshire Forward presented Mr Bachchan with an engraved shepherd’s staff and a suit specially made from White Rose cloth.
The other speakers at the press conference included Miss Shetty, who is due to celebrate her 32nd birthday in style tonight with a party at the Victoria Quarter in Leeds.
India’s thriving film industry holds its awards ceremony in a different overseas location each year to try to raise its profile in the international market.
Cities such as New York, Barcelona and Melbourne were among Yorkshire’s rivals for the right to stage this summer’s spectacular.
It is expected to attract 28,000 extra visitors to the county, giving its tourist trade a £9.5m boost.
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