As IIFA 2024 kicked off with a bang in Abu Dhabi, here are some fan favourite moments from the interviews at the star-studded event.
The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) 2024 in Dubai has been in full swing since September 27. Well, the event has been star-studded as per usual. The list of stars seems never-ending with the likes of Shabana Azmi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Shahid Kapoor, and Ananya Panday, among others, in attendance.
For those of us who can only dream of attending such an event in person, celebrity interviews are the quickest way into the glitz and glam of B-town. So, here are some of the key moments from IIFA 2024.
Alia Bhatt has been a long-time admirer of veteran actress, Shabana Azmi. Well, the senior actress recently revealed that the admiration is mutual. Lauding Alia for her versatility as an actor at the IIFA Awards, Shabana told the Indian Express:
“She is a very fine actor. Although she gives the effect of being very effortless on set, her instincts are very good. I have seen her in a lot of diverse roles.”
Renowned lyricist, Javed Akhtar was asked an intriguing question regarding who he considered to be this generation’s ‘Angry Young Men’ at the IIFA Awards 2024. His answer was equally interesting as he gave the title to Hrithik, Vicky, and his son, Farhan. He was further asked if he would rank Shah Rukh Khan in the category as well, to which he responded:
“He's not from this generation. He's a veteran now.”
Aishwarya’s daughter, Aaradhya has been spotted in tow with her mother at events all across the globe for a while now. Just recently, the duo had travelled to France together as Aishwarya made an appearance at the Paris Fashion Week. Aaradhya was also at her mother’s side during the SIIMA Awards, the 77th Cannes Film Festival, and the Ambani events.
In Abu Dhabi at the IIFA Awards, a reporter remarked that Aaradhya was always with Aishwarya and told the star that she was “learning from the best”. Well, Aishwarya’s reaction to the statement went viral instantly. In a moment that made her daughter giggle and blush, Aishwarya said:
“Woo! She’s my daughter, she’s always with me.”
Batla House fame, Mrunal Thakur took a moment to defend Ranbir Kapoor for playing the character, ‘Ranvijay Singh’, in Animal. Ranbir has been under fire for accepting the role pretty much since the movie’s release, as it glorifies misogyny, toxic masculinity, and graphic violence. However, Mrunal had a different viewpoint on the matter and told reporters at the IIFA Awards event:
“Let's not forget that Ranbir is also the actor who played Barfi. Why can't we celebrate the diversity in his films and the fact that he can play both Barfi and Animal so well.”
Shahid Kapoor, who made his debut in Hindi cinema with Ishq Vishk (2003), is now viewed as one of the industry’s most versatile actors. However, the actor revealed that despite his strong desire to work in films across all industries, certain reservations had always held him back from projects in South Indian cinema. Speaking at the IIFA Awards event, he said:
“I want to work in all languages, but what if people don't understand what I say? That's always the fear. To me, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada are all the same because I don't know any of them. So if any director can trust me with that, I'd love to work in the South.”
Taha Shah Badussha, who stole hearts as ‘Tajdar’ in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, expressed his joy at being amongst familiar faces in Abu Dhabi again. Reminiscing over what a journey 2023 had been for him, Taha shared his immense gratitude for SLB at the IIFA Awards, saying:
“2023 has been transformative for me, thanks to Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who has been a pillar in restarting my career. Last year, I just had a belief that I would be here, and life would change, and it truly has, all thanks to the audience, Mr Bhansali, and Netflix for this opportunity.”
Which moment from IIFA 2024 has been your favourite so far? Let us know.
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