Superstar Shah Rukh Khan had a light-hearted moment with his longtime friend and filmmaker Karan Johar during a press conference for the upcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards 2024. The two, known for their collaborations on iconic films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, are set to co-host the prestigious event this year.
At the event, Shah Rukh couldn’t resist teasing Karan about focusing more on chat shows than on directing films lately. “He hosts chat shows, film shows. Picturein bhi toh bana mere bhai (When are you going to make films, my brother?),” Shah Rukh quipped, sparking laughter from the audience and Karan himself.
Karan, who last directed the 2023 hit Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, admitted with a smile, “This sounds so wrong on so many levels for a filmmaker. But Shah Rukh is right, I should be making movies.” Aside from directing, Karan is also the host of the popular celebrity talk show Koffee With Karan.
The IIFA Awards will return to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, for the third consecutive year, with the event set to take place from September 27 to 29. Along with Shah Rukh and Karan, actor Vicky Kaushal will also take the stage as a co-host, promising an entertaining show filled with star-studded performances.
In addition to the hosting trio, the awards ceremony will feature dazzling performances by Bollywood icons including Rekha, Shahid Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon. Shah Rukh, excited about returning to the IIFA stage after nearly a decade, expressed his enthusiasm: “I’m privileged to be hosting this show with Vicky and Karan, and of course, there’s going to be great performances to follow.”
Shah Rukh joked about the long gap between his IIFA hosting gigs, saying, “They called me once to host, and they’re calling me back after 10 years.” He also praised the IIFA team for their global vision in hosting the event across various international locations and expressed pride in its global reach.
This year, IIFA will also celebrate the diversity of Indian cinema by including the best of both Hindi and South Indian films. For the first time, the event will feature IIFA Utsavam, dedicated to South Indian cinema, alongside the traditional Bollywood flair of the awards. Telugu star Rana Daggubati will co-host the Utsavam segment with Teja Sajja. During the press conference, Rana praised Shah Rukh for his hospitality and thanked Karan for supporting South cinema, particularly for presenting the Hindi version of Baahubali.
Shah Rukh expressed his excitement about the expanded scope of this year’s IIFA, saying, “With the inclusion of Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, this edition of IIFA is more Indian than ever before.”
The press conference also saw appearances from Siddhant Chaturvedi and Abhishek Banerjee, who will host IIFA Rocks 2024, the musical extravaganza that will close the event.
As the night came to a close, Shah Rukh took a moment to congratulate Abhishek Banerjee on the success of his latest release, Stree 2. “It’s so wonderful to see you live after watching your wonderful film,” he said.
The stage is set for IIFA 2024, with an exciting blend of Bollywood and South Indian cinema ready to take the spotlight.
