| The event will be telecast on June 25 on Star Television |
CHENNAI: "Repeat-uh!" is what they'll be crying this year at the 2006 International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Film Festival, in which superstar Rajinikanth leads the way.
Rajinikanth's Chandramukhi will open the festival at the IIFA Awards in Dubai, to be held from June 15 to 17. It earned over $2.5 million overseas, and has already been released in several countries.
This will be the first time that a south Indian film opens the festival in the seven years of the IIFA Awards, which has been a platform for promoting Hindi cinema globally.
On Thursday, the Taj Coromandel ballroom buzzed as the likes of Ramesh Sippy (of Sholay fame), actor Madhavan, producer of Chandramukhi Ram Kumar, and director of the film P. Vasu shared the podium at the IIFA press briefing.
Earlier, a casually dressed Abhishek Bachchan sauntered in, chatted with a few people and sauntered out again to catch up with Mani Ratnam on the sets of Guru, currently being shot in Chennai. The only sign that AB's Baby had been there was an autograph scrawled on an IIFA poster.
`It's party time'
Madhavan, looking fit and spiffy, expressed his delight at being part of the IIFA party. "It's hardcore party time for most of us actors," he said, beaming. The actor also added that this would be a good opportunity for more recognition to the "best technicians in this part of the world", a view seconded by Mr. Sippy, who is part of the IIFA Advisory Council.
Most of the films screened will be accompanied by an interaction of the audience with the cast or crew of the films.
Sabbas Joseph, Director of Wizcraft (organising body of the IIFA), announced that 14 south Indian films would be screened this year — seven Tamil, four Malayalam and three Telugu films.
He later told The Hindu that the film packages change according to the venue. "South Indian films already have an established presence in Dubai."
He also hinted that the IIFA Advisory Board (chaired by Amitabh Bachchan) is considering including awards for south Indian films in the coming years.
Besides Madhavan, other south Indian film stars who will be attending the event in Dubai include `Chiyaan' Vikram, Meera Jasmine and Mohanlal.
The event will be telecast on June 25 on Star Television. Mr. Joseph said that 450 million people around the world would watch it.
The Grammys have a viewership of 480 million and over 600 million people watch the Academy Awards.
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