New Delhi: The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards will return to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, in January 2027 for its 27th edition, bringing together
Bollywood stars Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Rashmika Mandanna.
The ceremony, scheduled at Etihad Arena in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Miral, will mark IIFA’s fourth consecutive showcase in the emirate.
At the announcement event, IIFA co-founder Sabbas Joseph highlighted the platform’s contribution to taking Indian cinema to international audiences.
“What left India was not really just an awards ceremony. What went from India was the flag of India,” Joseph said.
He noted that international markets accounted for less than 2 per cent of Indian cinema’s earnings in 2000, compared with nearly 30 per cent today. Joseph also emphasised IIFA’s commitment to environmental sustainability and women’s empowerment.
“The true impact of IIFA must go beyond the stage. It must touch people’s lives. It must inspire change. And it must make a difference in the world,” he added.
IIFA co-founder Andre Timmins also outlined plans for the awards’ future international expansion, revealing that organisers are looking to take the event back to the United States in 2028. The proposed return would mark another step in IIFA’s efforts to strengthen its presence in overseas markets and connect with Indian cinema audiences globally.
Varun Dhawan, who will host the upcoming edition, stressed the importance of celebrating filmmaking talent, particularly technicians.
“I think these days, film award ceremonies talk about everything except films. We are here to celebrate films, actors, performances and technicians,” Varun said.
The actor, whose father David Dhawan is a filmmaker, called for greater recognition of behind-the-scenes professionals and promised to keep the focus on cinema. He described his hosting approach as “a little unhinged and a little honest.”
Salman Khan entertained the gathering with humorous advice for Varun’s hosting debut.
“Don’t host! Don’t host! Hosting takes six hours,” Salman joked, suggesting that Varun should perform a dance step and leave the hosting responsibilities to others.
Rashmika Mandanna expressed excitement about making her IIFA debut after eight years in the film industry.
“I don’t know why it took eight years for this to happen, but this is my debut, guys, and I’m very, very excited,” she said, adding that she looked forward to celebrating actors, technicians and other filmmaking professionals.
Kareena Kapoor Khan expressed happiness about returning to Abu Dhabi, saying, “I’m just so happy to keep coming back. I think they love our movies.”
Shahid Kapoor promised audiences an entertaining evening, joking, “Don’t judge us by this press conference. We’ll be more effective in January.”
Pankaj Tripathi, preparing for his first IIFA hosting stint, drew laughter with a reference to his popular crime drama Mirzapur. The actor joked that, unlike the colourful language associated with his character Kaleen Bhaiya in the series, he would use parliamentary language while hosting the awards ceremony.
“I am going to host, and I will make mistakes,” Tripathi said.
Ali Fazal and Abhishek Banerjee were also present at the announcement, highlighting IIFA’s continuing efforts to strengthen cultural connections between India and the UAE.
