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IIFA Awards get rolling

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Date: 2006-6-15

IIFA Awards get rolling

Starting today, Upala KBR will tell you who is doing what in star-studded Dubai. Look out for her daily updates till the grand finale

6 am

DAY 1: Fardeen Khan and his wife also made an early entry - APDay 1 began with a sprightly Gul Panag, attired in a bright green T-shirt and black pants, posing patiently with her mom, as a group of giggly women, who had no clue how to operate the sophisticated camera they were handling, attempted to take their pictures. No, good friend Sikander was not around.

In the meanwhile, Vinod Khanna strolled in dressed in a bright floral shirt with wife Kavita and daughter Saakshi. 1 pm

Big welcome: Amitabh Bachchan introducing the
IIFA Awards Dubai 2006 - AFPAmitabh Bachchan, looking dapper in a black suit, crisp white shirt and red tie but tired, introduced the IIFA Awards Dubai 2006.

He says, The proximity of Dubai to India is exciting. In India sangam means the confluence of two or more rivers and today we are having a confluence of cultures of the east and west. It was difficult to envisage creating real estate in the middle of the sea, but thats the real beauty of Dubai. Today, at this event, we are celebrating the celebration of Indian cinema.

Later Sanjay Gupta, whose film Shootout At Lokhandwala stars Bachchan, revealed that Bachchan had been unwell. Two doctors accompanied him to Dubai. But the ever-professional Bachchan once again kept his commitment.

1.30 pm

Leaving her mark: Aishwarya Rai attends a hand print ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Hotel - APIt was lunchtime when I saw Kirron Kher (clad in her trademark expensive cream saree peppered with flowers) sans Anupam and Arbaaz Khan sans wife Malaika and son Arhaan (whose school has opened) catching up on lunch and gossip. Kirron was overheard telling someone, I am so excited that Sikander is getting his dream launch with Sanjay Guptas film. She too is acting in one of his films.

Arbaaz was here as hes a part of White Feathers next production. I star in a 10-minute film called Matrimony. He, however, seemed a little low without the glamorous Malaika by his side.

Jagmohan Mundhra, on the other hand was in an upbeat mood. Provoked was well-received in Cannes. I was nervous about the reception there, but today, I am confident. He was also happy that the star of his movie, Aishwarya Rai, would be attending the premiere at night. Shes already here, he beamed.

Slowly, more and more people trickled in. Rohit Roy with wife Manasi, Sudhanshu Pandey, Arshad Warsi, Ken Ghosh, David Dhawan with wife Lali, Ramesh Taurani, Rohan and Ramesh Sippy, Madhur Bhandarkar and his wife. The list kept growing.

Sabbas Joseph from Wizcraft said, We have lined up a star-studded event. Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherji, Neha Oberoi, Sikander Kher and Upen Patel are all coming together in a grand climax on June 16.

2.30 pm

Hand-in-hand: Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar were also present at the IIFA press conference - APSanjay Gupta introduced promos of his next five under-production films. Dus Kahaniya has 24 actors, seven directors and 10 stories all with unusual names like Accident, Gubbare, Rise and Fall, Sex on the Beach, Highway. His second production is Woodstock Villa, followed by Shootout At Lokhandwala, Alibag and Shyam Benegals Chamki Chameli.

Though I am excited about Alibag, I am nervous too, as its a genre I havent attempted before, he said. Alibag is the story of seven close friends all caught up in a storm of events over a period of time. The cast, consisting of Rohit Roy, Manasi Joshi Roy, Mandira Bedi, Sameer Soni, Gul Panag, Sudhanshu Pandey and Sanjay Dutt, are all good friends of Gupta, or Gups as he is fondly called.

Rohit and Manasi are glad to be working together for the first time. Actually we had been wanting to work together for the last 13 years, ever since we met, said Rohit, adding, But things were just not happening till Gups came up with the idea.

4.30 pm

Bluffmaster: Actor
Riteish DeshmukhRamesh Sippy with wife, and children Rohan and Sheena Sippy are here to launch Sheenas book Lights, Camera, Masala. Rohan beamed happily, every inch the proud brother.

I am very proud to be a part of Sheenas book, he said. What about his next directorial venture? I think that will happen next year, he replied.

Hasnt he signed Upen Patel for One Night at Call Centre? I have met Upen and liked his work. We are committed to doing a film with him, but havent finalised which one yet.