Indian films get due respect overseas: Amitabh

Dubai, June 14 (UNI) Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan today said Indian movies have finally got the dignity and respect they deserve overseas.

Kicking off the seventh International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend here, Mr Bachchan, who is the brand ambassador of the annual event held outside Indian shores, said Indian films were receiving overwhelming response from people cutting across nationalities who enjoyed the experience of watching Indian films.

''The West was earlier cynical about our movies. They were an object of ridicule for the songs and dances. But today they (west) not only enjoy the songs and dances but also the story characters,'' he said. Mr Bachchan noted that IIFA has been appreciated by the host countries ever since it was launched.

Speaking about Dubai, he said he was amazed at the pace at which the city moved forward. ''Dubai is the meeting point of the best of the East and the West and its proximity to India makes it an attractive destination among Indians,'' he noted.

Mr Bachchan also read out a message from the mayor of Amsterdam ,venue of last year's IIFA, thanking him for hosting the event in the Dutch city last year which brought 45,000 Indian tourists to the city.

It is for the first time that prominent film personalities from South India like Mamooty, Mohanlal, Vikram, Prabhu, Meera Jasmine, among others, are attending the IIFA weekend.

The commencement of the four-day event promises to dazzle the UAE with its glamorous fashion show, spectacular awards presentation and festival of popular films being screened at multiple venues across Dubai.

The IIFA weekend began with the IIFA world premiere of Jagmohan Mundhra's Provoked starring Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews and Nandita Das. The film's cast and crew will receive a red carpet welcome at the Grand Multiplex here.

The two day FICCI-IIFA Global business forum to promote bilateral business will be held at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr Bachchan will inaugurate the three day film festival tomorrow.

The festival will open with hit tamil film ''Chandramukhi'' and includes 31 critically and commercially acclaimed films in all languages. The festival will also give the cinema lovers an opportunity to interact with the cast and crew of many of these films, Mr Bachchan said.

The IIFA foundation fashion extravaganza will be the high point of the second day with celebrated designers Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis showcasing the best of Indian glamour and fashion.

Director Karan Johar will have a special conversation with his film star friends and reveal some of their most intimate secrets during the event.

The Black tie fashion extravanganza will help raise funds for the IIFA foundation which supports families of behind- the scenes- film workers who have been injured or died during making of a film.

Saeed Al Nabouda, CEO Dubai Shopping festival and Dubai Summer surprises said, ''such is the grand stature of the IIFA weekend that it is dubbed as Indian equivalent of Oscars and we are proud to host it this year in true Dubai style''.

UNI XC SHR RS1725