GECs
17th IIFA to highlight 60 years of Indian-Spanish diplomatic ties
New Delhi: The seventeenth edition of the International India Film Academy weekend is expected to be one of the biggest with the presence of over 150 film actors and an audience of around 150,000 over four days.
IIFA founder Sabbas Joseph from Wizcraft said that the event will also be the highlight of the events to mark the sixtieth anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Spain.
He said a prominent Spanish festival, Mulafest, had been timed to coincide with IIFA as people from Spain had become familiar with Indian cinema and the star craze after the reception the film ‘Zindagi na milegi dobara’ which was the first to be shot in that country received a grand reception.
Joseph said further that the IIFA weekend which has now covered four continents will also have the tenth FICCI Global Business Forum meet where the Indian delegation is being led by FICCI’s Harshavardhan Neotia
The IIFA Weekend is from 23 to 26 June and the awards night will be hosted by actors Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor. The awards evening will have performances among others by Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Sonakshi Sinha, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and Deepika Padukone.
Spanish Embassy Charge de’Affaires Magdelena Cruz said several events had been held in Spain to mark the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Coordinator general of the city of Madrid Luis Custo said cinema was a bridge of the road between the two countries and would bring the people of the two together.
Colors CEO Raj Nayak said the event would be seen in 135 countries. Revealing a line-up of various programmes, he said that ’24 Part Two’ by Anil Kapoor would be aired this year, apart from the tenth edition of Bigg Boss.
FICCI Joint Secretary General Ambika Sharma said that a number of chief executive officers of major firms would be attending the Business Forum being held in collaboration with the Spanish and the Madrid Chambers of Commerce. She also hoped there will be ministerial participation both from India and Spain.
While Videocon d2h is the weekend title sponsor, Maruti Suzuki India Limited is the title sponsor for the awards. The cause sponsors are Hero Cycles. The event will be telecast on Colors.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
