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Mon, Dec 23, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 22, 1446 | DXB
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IIFA Utsavam 2024: Stars gather for South Indian cinema's biggest night in Abu Dhabi; as it happened
The awards show in Abu Dhabi celebrates all things South Indian cinema
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with her daughter, Aaradhya
And that's a wrap. Some of the biggest names in Indian show business were in Abu Dhabi for IIFA Utsavam, which celebrates the best of South Indian cinema, including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam films.
The event, taking place at Etihad Arena at Yas Island, saw number of celebrities, moviemakers and and artists from the South Indian film industry come together for a gala featuring performances, award presentations, and cultural showcases.
Among stars who attended were Mani Ratnam, AR Rahman, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Prabhu Deva and Rana Daggubati.
Khaleej Times was on the ground, bringing you the latest news as it happened. Here's a look at what went down:
10.54pm: Prabhu Deva hits the stage
10.41pm: Ananya Panday makes an appearance
Bollywood actress Ananya Panday, who is enjoying the success of her latest series on Prize Video, Call Me Bae, is fashionably late to the green carpet.
Khaleej Times spoke to Panday when her comedy series first came out. She said she felt like her character in the show was like her younger sister. "My feelings about her are super protective," she said.
To read the full interview, click here.
10.39pm: Nani takes home a prize
Nani wins the award for best Performance in a Leading Role (Male) for the movie Dasara.
10.28pm: Varalaxmi Sarathkumar wins
Varalaxmi Sarathkumar wins Best Performance in a Supporting Role (Female): for Veera Simha Reddy (God Of Masses).
10.22pm: Nassar is on stage
10.13pm: Rakul Preet Singh, Samantha go to IIFA Utsavam 2024
Samantha
Rakul Preet Singh
10.05pm: What's going on at IIFA Utsavam 2024? Here's a look at the stage
Konidela Chiranjeevi is awarded Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema presented by Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi. He expresses heartfelt gratitude for the love and support from fans and the industry.
Jayaram is named Best Supporting Actor.
9.54pm: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon walks the green carpet
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, whose movie Ponniyin Selvan: II has won a number of awards tonight, walks the green carpet.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with her daughter, Aaradhya
Shahid Kapoor
Karan Johar
Kriti Sanon, who is wearing Prabal Gurung, says "I got my first IIFA best actress in front of the Abu Dhabi audience, this place will always be special."
9.19pm: A glimpse at what's happening inside the event
9.06pm: Some winners are announced
The event is in full swing now, with a list of actors who've already been named winners. Here's a look at some prize takers:
Mahesh Babu's Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty won best dialogue.
Ponniyin Selvan: II won best cinematography.
Por Thozhil won best screenplay.
Super Subu won best lyrics for Hukum - Thalaivar Alappara from the movie Jailer.
The award for Best Playback Singer (Male) went to Haricharan for the song Chinnanjiru Nilave from the movie Ponniyin Selvan: II.
The award for Best Playback Singer (Female) went to Shakthisree Gopalan for the song Aga Naga, from the movie Ponniyin Selvan: II, and Nenjame Nenjame from the movie Maamannan.
Shakthisree is named Best Playback Singer
The title of best Telegu Playback Singer (Male) went to Rahul Sipligunj, for his song from Mem Famous, Ayyayyo.
And for Playback Singer (Female) it went to Mangli for her number Ooru Palletootu, from Balagam.
The title of Best Lyricist went to Anantha Sriram for the song O Rendu Prema Meghaalila from the movie Baby.
The award for Music Direction went to Hesham Abdul Wahab for Hi Nanna.
And AR Rahman won best background score for Ponniyin Selvan: II.
8.57pm: Chiranjeevi walks the green carpet
8.42pm: More stars stride in
Deepti Sadhwani
Filmmaker Mani Ratnam and Suhasini
Mrunal Thakur arrives on the green carpet wearing a neon yellow gown from Gaurav Gupta. "I love the embroidery and neckline, I always go for subtle shades but wanted to go with a bolder colour this time," she says.
Actor Pearle Maaney
Shraddha Srinath
Priya Mani
Taha Shah Badussha
8.19pm: Listen: AR Rahman sings his favourite Malayalam song on the IIFA green carpet
Famous composer and singer AR Rahman is happy to share his favourite Malayalam song with the world. He hums Periyone Rahmane from the movie Goat Life.
8.16pm: Urvashi Rautela is excited
Actress Urvashi Rautela is the first to admit she's excited because in a span of 11 months she’s acted in three South Indian films.
8.12pm: Dubai Bling star Safa Siddiqui is a vision in silver
Dubai Bling star Safa Siddiqui has worn a Faraz Manan creation tonight. She catches up with her reality TV co-star Kris Fade, who reveals it's also his first time attending the IIFA awards.
8.09pm: Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar walk in
Indian actor Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar, screenwriter and lyricist and subject of the Prime Video documentary Angry Young Men, walk the green carpet on their way to the show.
8.05pm: The stage gets lit
While we catch up with the stars on the green carpet, the A-listers who have already made it into the venue start to get comfortable. The show is about to kick-off, but first, to welcome guests, there's a performance by Kannada actress Aradhana Ram.
7.54pm: Who else is on the green carpet?
Regina Cassandra
Actor Shine Tom Chacko, left with his father, Chacko.
Actor Jayaram looks dapper in his traditional outfit.
Daggubati Venkatesh, who is known for his roles in Telugu and Hindi films, is in an all-black ensemble for the occasion.
7.48pm: Faria Abdullah makes heads turn
Telugu actress Faria Abdullah looks fantastic on the red carpet as she talks about how excited she is for her nomination for the movie Ravanasura. She's in the running for best performance in a supporting role (female) for a Telugu movie.
7.40pm: Jiiva is looking forward to the performances
Indian actor and film producer Jiiva is feeling a bit overwhelmed, he tells Khaleej Times. "It's so nice to see a lot of actors out here. We come from South India, but we don't get to meet all these actors in our [daily lives]...so this is such a beautiful event where all the stars come together and we actually socialise," he explains.
His message to fans is simple, he says: "Thank you so much for all the love."
7.35pm: Sarathkumar says he loves Khaleej Times
Sarathkumar, Indian actor, politician and former bodybuilder who works predominantly in Tamil cinema, sends his love to fans in the UAE and says he's looking forward to a pleasant evening.
He is with his wife, Radhika, when we catch up with him.
7.27pm: Artist Olena Stashok joins the crowd
Olena Stashok is dressed for the occasion in a pastel lehenga.
7.08pm: Mangli Singh is all sparkles
Singer Mangli Singh, who has been nominated to IIFA 2024's Best Female Singer Category for her song Ooru Palleturu, from Balagam, makes an appearance.
7.00pm: Neetasha Singh walks the green carpet
6.50pm: Rahul Sipligunjv is on the green carpet
Indian playback singer and songwriter Rahul Sipligunjv is excited about his IIFA moment. He's looking forward to the performances that will happen tonight. He's no stranger to the stage, having lit up the Oscars stage with his performance of Naatu Naatu in 2023.
Meanwhile, the hosts, Vijay Raghavendra and Akul Balaji, are getting ready to liven up the stage.
6.42pm: Shakthisree Gopalan gushes about her IIFA stint
It's singer Shakthisree Gopalan’s first time at IIFA. She’s elated to see all the industries come together, she tells Khaleej TImes.
6.35pm: We catch a glimpse of Andre Timmins, IIFA organiser
IIFA organiser Andre Timmins is dressed in a lime green suit for the evening. Ahead of the show, he told Khaleej Times about how the celebration of Indian cinema transformed into a movement to showcase culture, establish business ties and expand Indian entertainment’s footprint.
6.23pm: More stars glitter on the green carpet
Indian actress and model Sakshi Agarwal
Other stars including Shanthanu Bhagyaraj and his wife, Kiki, singer Haricharan, and Indian actress and model Sakshi Agarwal arrive.
Among the A-listers in attendance tonight is politician and leading actor and producer who works in Telugu cinema Nandamuri Balakrishna.
6.19pm: Nassar joins the show
Indian actor director, and producer Nassar walks the green carpet.
6.01pm: Teja Sajja arrives
Actor Teja Sajja, who has worked in movies such as Zombie Reddy and Hanu-Man, says: "There are no Tollywoods, Mollywoods, there's just one India cinema industry and we're all representing that today" says Teja, as he stops for green carpet interactions, wearing a cream suit.
5.59pm: Stars begin to arrive
Siddharth Kannan, Indian television host and radio announcer, with wife, Neha Kannan, at IIFA awards, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. (Photo by Shihab)
Rana Daggubati arrives at the IIFA Utsavam 2024 Green Carpet. Photo by Shihab
Siddharth Kannan, Indian television host and radio announcer was the first to arrive with his wife, Neha Kannan, at IIFA awards, Yas Island.
South Indian star Rana Daggubati arrived at 5.59pm. The Telegu actor who's all set to host the awards tonight looks dapper in an all black suit, with classic understated elegance.
Somya Mehta
Somya Mehta is a Senior Features Writer at Khaleej Times, who contributes extensively to the UAE's arts, culture, and lifestyle scene. When not engrossed in writing, you'll find her on the hunt for the next best solo travel destination or indulging in podcast binges.
Husain Rizvi
Husain Rizvi is a Senior Features Writer who covers entertainment and lifestyle stories and has a profound interest in tech (games) and sports. When he’s not working, you can find him at the gym, or finishing a boss fight in a video game.
Neeraj Murali
Neeraj Murali graduated from the University of Madras with a degree in Visual Communication. He began his career in 2013 as a photojournalist with The New Indian Express in India. He moved to Khaleej Times in 2015 as a photographer, and in 2018 he became part of the multimedia team responsible for scripting, filming and editing videos. He is a car enthusiast and loves to travel and explore.
Shihab
The creative spirit has always been part of Shihab’s DNA. When he captures a moment through his lens, it is eternalised for the viewer through the photographer. With several prestigious awards to his credit, Shihab’s works have also been part of many photo exhibitions in the city. Vocal through his creations, Shihab is currently bringing out the best of digital photography and also edits video packages for Khaleej Times.
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