The IIFA Weekend, presented by Tiara Residence, the AED 2.1 billion luxury lifestyle development from Zabeel Investments, and Dubai Summer Surprises, was officially opened at the Grand Hyatt yesterday, at a press conference featuring Indian superstar and IIFA Brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, Star TV Vice-president, Kevin Vaz, Zabeel Investments CEO Mohammed Al Hashimi, Idea Cellular Vice-president Pradeep Shrivastava and DSS CEO Saeed Al Nabouda.

The IIFA Weekend 2006 is being held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group and Chairman of the DSS/DSF Supreme Committees.

The IIFA Weekend presented by Tiara Residence will conclude today, Friday, 16 June, with the Idea IIFA Awards ceremony at the spectacular Central Hall at the Dubai Airport Expo. Hosted by A-listers Fardeen Khan, Lara Dutta and Katrina Kaif, the ceremony will include electrifying performances from leading stars of Indian cinema including Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherjee, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Dia Mirza, Himesh Reshamiya and Upen Patel.

The IIFA Weekend began yesterday with the IIFA World Premiere of Jagmohan Mundra's film Provoked, starring Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson and Nandita Das. The film's cast and crew will receive a red carpet welcome at the Grand Cineplex in Dubai.

The second day of the IIFA Weekend began with the FICCI IIFA Global Business Forum at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and also includes the inauguration of the IIFA Film Festival.

This three-day film festival, which opened with hit Tamil film Chandramukhi, includes 31 critically and commercially successful examples of Indian cinema. The festival will also give media and cinema lovers an opportunity to interact with the cast and crew of many of these films.

The IIFA Foundation Fashion Extravaganza, presented by Rosyblue, was the high point of the second day, with celebrated Indian designers Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis outfitting cinema icons and celebrities with the best of Indian glamour and fashion. Director Karan Johar will also have a special conversation with his film star friends and reveal some of their most intimate secrets during the event.

The black tie fashion extravaganza will help raise funds for the IIFA Foundation, which supports families of behind-the-scenes film workers who have been injured or worse during the making of a film.

Amitabh Bachchan the brand ambassador of the International Indian Film Academy today launched the IIFA commemorative book - Lights, Camera, Masala! at the Grand Hyatt, during the IIFA Weekend presented by Tiara Residence, Dubai.

Don't miss the IIFA Weekend and the Idea IIFA Awards broadcast on STAR Plus at 8 PM on Sunday, 25 June, 2006.

Launched seven years ago at the Millennium Dome in London, the IIFA Awards ceremony has grown into a three-day extravaganza showcasing the best of Indian cinema and providing a platform for its interaction with global media.

The Idea IIFA Awards 2006 is a salutation to the world's largest film industry and has attracted the stalwarts of both Indian and International cinema, including Amitabh Bachchan, Mira Nair, Shekhar Kapur, Angelina Jolie, Kylie Minogue, Jackie Chan, Bo Derek and Miranda Richardson.

You can kickstart and be part of the Soccer Mania at Soccodicta on STAR Forum.