The 24th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards transformed Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi into a glittering celebration of Indian cinema on Saturday night, bringing together leading filmmakers, actors, and musicians from Hindi and South Indian film industries before a capacity international audience. Hosted with signature wit and high-energy choreography by superstar Shah Rukh Khan alongside Vicky Kaushal and filmmaker Karan Johar, the gala marked the third consecutive year that the United Arab Emirates capital has staged the flagship global Bollywood extravaganza.
Shah Rukh Khan headlined the evening both as master of ceremonies and as a major winner, taking home the coveted Best Actor in a Leading Role trophy for his dual performance in Atlee's action blockbuster 'Jawan'. Accepting the statuette to a standing ovation, Khan paid tribute to his cast and crew while reflecting on the historic box-office resurgence of Indian theatrical releases across international markets over the past year.
Major Acting, Directing, and Best Picture Triumphs
Rani Mukerji won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her deeply emotional portrayal of an immigrant mother battling foreign child-welfare authorities in 'Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway', dedicating her victory to mothers worldwide. Acclaimed filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra earned the Best Director award for his biographical drama '12th Fail', which chronicled the real-life perseverance of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and resonated strongly with both critics and youth audiences.
Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga's box-office phenomenon 'Animal' led the overall tally by claiming Best Picture along with key acting and music categories. Anil Kapoor won Best Performance in a Supporting Role (Male) and Bobby Deol secured Best Performance in a Negative Role for 'Animal', while Shabana Azmi was named Best Supporting Actress for Karan Johar's family drama 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani'. Alizeh Agnihotri received Best Debut (Female) for 'Farrey'.
“Celebrating Indian cinema in front of a passionate international audience in Abu Dhabi reminds us how stories from Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai unite millions of hearts worldwide.”
Musical Spectacles and Lifetime Achievement Honors
Music for 'Animal' also dominated the sound categories, with Pritam, Vishal Mishra, Manan Bhardwaj, Shreyas Puranik, Jaani, Bhupinder Babbal, Ashim Kemson, and Harshavardhan Rameshwar sharing Best Music Direction, while Bhupinder Babbal won Best Playback Singer (Male) for 'Arjan Vailly' and Siddharth–Garima took Best Lyrics for 'Satranga'. Shilpa Rao won Best Playback Singer (Female) for 'Chaleya' from 'Jawan'.
In one of the night's most poignant moments, Shah Rukh Khan presented legendary actress and parliamentarian Hema Malini with the award for Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema, celebrating her five-decade contribution to Indian screen culture. Electrifying live stage performances by Rekha, Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Janhvi Kapoor, and Nora Fatehi capped off the three-day festival, which opened on Friday with IIFA Utsavam honoring Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada cinema.
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