GrayRobinson's recent Community Leader Forum featured a panel discussion pertaining to the upcoming 15th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA). Better known as "Bollywood", the discussion focused on the short and long term impact the Awards will have on the Tampa Bay area. Panel members included IIFA representative, Janak Vora, Santiago Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, and Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham.
Vora opened the forum with commentary on the film industry’s impact on the people and culture of India. Vora reports that Bollywood is a serious business and is among the largest industries in the world. The Indian film industry produced over 1300 films in 2012 and each year in India, over 4.8 billion cinema tickets are sold. The U.S. region is the second largest contributor to Bollywood’s international box office revenues and the industry spends over $400 million on overseas shooting each year. The IIFA is dedicated to building bridges across cinemas, communities, businesses and nations. The IIFA awards have been held in four continents and 10 countries to date.
During the panel discussion, Commissioner Higginbotham relayed details of his recent trips to India and his experience at the IIFA awards last year. He stressed the grandeur of the awards show and the non-stop excitement and entertainment provided throughout the entire week of festivities. Corrada discussed the opportunities for Tampa Bay businesses and hotels; relaying that the rooms are being booked quickly. Stating that the Tampa Bay region is preparing to welcome tens of thousands of visitors to our region, Corrada stressed that Tampa is looking forward to serving as great hosts to the biggest and best International Indian Film Academy awards in history.
The IIFA programs and awards will be held over the span of four days, starting Wednesday, April 23, 2014 and ending Saturday, April 26, 2014. The various events open to the public include:
April 23, 2014 IIFA Stomp: This event will be held at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and will be free and open to the public. IIFA Stomp is will replicate the traditional Indian fair with Indian food, crafts and music by DJ Ravi Drums and DJ Akbar Sami. The organizers plan is to bring a taste of India to Tampa Bay.
April 24-26, 2014 The IIFA Expo: The expo will be held at the Tampa Convention Center and will be free and open to the public. The IIFA expo brings the best of India under one roof. From the finest Real Estate investment opportunities to the best of Indian Fashion, jewelry, handicrafts and wellness products. The Expo will be highly interactive offering engagement at all levels for visitors including workshops, attractions and performances. Catch Bollywood glitteratis as they visit, shop, mix and mingle at the Expo.
There are many more exciting ways to experience Bollywood and the culture of India. Already, 20,000 tickets have been sold to the event, and the organizers believe it will be sold out.
For more information on the IIFA or to purchase tickets for the various events, click here.