With Hrithik Roshan’s special performance at a mall and other similar activities, this year’s IIFA celebrations at Kuala lumpur seem to be dedicated to the people of the place. Divya Kaushik reports
With its swanky bars, al-fresco cafés, shopping arcades housing luxe brands like Gucci and Prada and high-end hotels, Bukit Bintang or Starhill in Kuala lumpur is the place for paparazzi. Blazing flashlights, shutterbugs chasing celebrities is nothing new on the streets that have qualified to achieve the status of Kuala lumpur’s very own Fifth Avenue. But this was something spectacular and surprising. The SUV parked in the lobby of a five star hotel here was surrounded with cameramen jostling for space. There was a good number of bouncers employed to control the crowd pouring from streets and neighbouring malls to the lobby.
We thought Shah Rukh Khan made an unannounced entry at the 16th edition of IIFA weekend, that returned to Kuala lumpur after 13 years. But the surprise unfolded when we had a glimpse of King Khan’s duplicate, clicking selfies with the fans. If the duplicate was such an attraction then one can imagine SRK’s soaring number of fans in Malaysia. Bollywood and its stars are a major rage in Kuala lumpur, and thanks to more film stars turning up for shooting and holidays, people’s love for them is only growing. Therefore, this year’s IIFA celebrations seem to be dedicated to the people of Kuala lumpur. So be it Neha Dhupia posing on the streets with her young fans or Hrithik Roshan taking over the open stage at one of the most popular shopping malls at Starhill, there are more activities planned at the IIFA this year that help the fans connect with the stars.
Sonakshi Sinha choosing to sing at IIFA Rocks on the opening day of the IIFA weekend also seemed like an effort to woo her fans. “I was here as a school girl and have fond memories of the place. I loved returning here with something special,” said the actress.
David Dhawan who addressed an opening forum on day one said that Malaysia as a shooting destination will only get more popular with Indian producers and directors getting 30 per cent incentive by the Malaysian Government. “I have shot here earlier but then there was no such privilege but now 30 per cent incentive is given to international filmmakers who come to shoot here. That will not only promote the place but will also add to our business of films,” he said. With the popularity of our films and actors in Malaysia, the business from this market has also improved in the last few years. “When we first came for IIFA in 2002, lagaan won most awards but the film was not released here. Now we are happy that 13 years later, we will be screening Dil Dhadakne Do here and people of Malaysia will be able to see it with the rest of the world. The business from this market for our films has grown exponentially,” said Sabbas Joseph, director of Wizcraft Entertainment International.