Rajasthan government has joined hands with International Indian Film Academy Award, one of the Bollywood's most prestigious awards, to organise the silver jubilee award function at Jaipur.
The IIfA, which started in 2000, is turning 25 years in 2025 and Jaipur will host the landmark award function from 7-10 March next year.
Rajasthan tourism commissioner Vijay Pal Singh signed the MoU on behalf of Rajasthan government in presence of tourism minister Diya Kumari and secretary Ravi Jain. From IIFA, vice president Suresh Iyer signed the agreement.
The total budget of the award ceremony likely to be Rs 60 crore.
This is second filmy proposition, which has come to Jaipur. Recently, veteran film director and producer K C Bokadia who belongs to Rajasthan, offered to set up a film city and training institute in Jaipur. He is expected to sign an MoU on this regard in the upcoming Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit.
Will give boost to tourism
Rajasthan has been a happy hunting ground for film shooting. But such award functions have never been organised in then city. In fact, Jaipur will be the second city after Mumbai where IIFA will be giving away awards. All its editions had been held overseas.
“Holding the 25th edition of IIFA award in Jaipur is an important event in promotion of tourism in Rajasthan. This is also an initiative of Rising Rajasthan. We will sign up more investment proposals in the field of entertainment and tourism,” said Diya Kumari, deputy chief minister, who is also the tourism minister.
She said that the three-day event will have music award o the first day followed by the Bollywood film awards.
Suresh Iyer, vice president, IIfA said that the organising of award function at Jaipur in the backdrop of Rajasthan will be special.
“After Mumbai, Jaipur will be the second cut of India to host this event, which will get the benefit of rich and varied heritage of Jaipur,” he said.
What is IIFA awards?
The International Indian Film Academy Awards, popularly known as IIFA, is an annual awards ceremony for Indian Hindi movies. Produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the winners of the awards are decided by fans, who vote online for their favourite actors from the Indian Hindi film industry. Instituted in 2000, the ceremony is held in different countries around the world every year. This year it is going to be held at Abu Dhabi from 27-29 September.
Prakash Bhandari is a veteran journalist with over 50 years of experience. He has worked with The Times of India for 30 years and contributed to leading publications as well as international news agency AFP.
