All You Need To Know About The 22nd International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards

W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island, which has been named the Official Celebrity Host Hotel for the 22nd International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards, will be rolling out the red carpet for the glitterati on the weekend of May 20-21, 2022. Art, activations, celebrity chefs, VIP shopping experiences, and luxurious parties are all planned for an exciting week.

The 22nd edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, the world’s largest festival of Indian film, is poised to unite the globe to celebrate cinematic achievement, bringing its worldwide brand presence to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

As the Middle East’s largest state-of-the-art indoor entertainment venue, Etihad Arena on Yas Island prepares for Bollywood megastars Salman Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, and Maniesh Paul to take centre stage as Masters of Ceremony for the two-day event, Abu Dhabi is pulling out all the stops.

At the most coveted annual ceremony, W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island will have the pleasure of welcoming celebrities such as Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan, Ananya Pandey, Sara Ali Khan, Kartik Aaryan, Karan Johar, Parineeti Chopra, Riteish Deshmukh, Maniesh Paul, Divya Khosla Kumar, Nora Fatehi, and Neha Kakkar, among others.

The hotel has curated once-in-a-lifetime experiences and activations that will fully immerse guests and the glitterati in the weekend’s glitz and glamour, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading curator of magnetic experiences. Here’s the schedule for the weekend and what you can anticipate!

MICHELIN STAR CHEF VINEET BHATIA POP-UP AT GARAGE:

Vineet Bhatia, the famous chef, restaurateur, author, and the first Indian chef to be awarded a Michelin star for Indian cuisine, has crafted an a la carte menu at the onsite restaurant Garage. His culinary vision has altered Indian food, propelling it to new heights and putting it on the worldwide stage with a modern and innovative twist, earning him a place among the industry’s most esteemed and recognised figures, earning a spot among the top 100 global Indians.

• Vineet Bhatia at Garage
• Date: 16/05 – 22/05
• Timing: 12.30 PM -10.30 PM
• Pricing: Al a Carte
• Pass by the 20th and 21st of May to see if you can get a glimpse of the celebrity chef

GO B.I.G OR GO HOME AT GARAGE:

The garage will also be energising guests with the legendary B.I.G brunch, which will be hosted by DJ Raggi. The garage is a genuine paradise, with explosive tastes from each hub, such as Nikkei’s Salmon Sashimi American Way, Steam Table’s Jing Jiang Chicken Rolls, or Meat Vault’s Pulled Beef BBQ Burger — does your tummy growl? Try not to eat too quickly. B.I.G. – Brunch In Garage is full of surprises, so keep your eyes and ears peeled at Tart Van to find out what type of delectable treat is on the way.

• Date: 21/05
• Timing: 1 PM – 4 PM
• Pricing: Soft drinks AED 279, House beverages AED 379, Champagne AED 529

W LOUNGE: WHERE BOLLYWOOD COMES TO PARTY:

The W Lounge is known for its sleek interiors and sublime views of the glittering marina and racetrack, and in the lead-up to IIFA weekend, it’ll only get better – there’ll be celebrity sightings too!

IIFA Kick-Off Bollywood Night with DJ Clement:

• Date: 19/05
• Timing: 9 PM – 1 AM
• Pricing:
• AED 200 per person including two House Beverages
• Minimum spend VIP tables from AED 2000

Glitz & Glam with Bollywood Celebrity DJs – DJ Sumit Sethi and DJ Aqueel:

• Date: 20/05
• Time: 9PM – 3AM
• Pricing:
• AED 350 per person with two House Beverage included
• Minimum Spend VIP Tables starting from AED 400

CELEBRITY DJs AT WET DECK:

WET Deck is known as a place to see – and be seen. In anticipation of IIFA weekend, this plush poolside venue is splashing out with the best DJs on the decks, tasty morsels on the menu and a vibe that will have partygoers pumped.

CINEMATIC with DJ Sumit Sethi and DJ Aqueel:

• Date: 19/05
• Time: 9PM – 3AM
• Pricing: AED 350 per person with 2 House beverages included
  Minimum Spend VIP Tables starting from AED 4000

Starry Night with DJ Darko, DJ Clement:

• Date: 20/05
• Timing: 8 PM – 1 AM
• Pricing: AED 200 per person with 2 House beverages included
  Minimum Spend VIP Tables starting from AED 200

IIFA After bash:

• Date: 21/05
• Timing: 9 PM – 3 AM
• Pricing: AED 200 per person with 2 House beverages included
  Minimum Spend VIP Tables starting from AED 2000

THE CROSSING TAKEOVER: DUBAI’S FINEST JOINS THE IIFA WEEKEND:

The Crossing at W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island makes waves with its upgraded Indian food. The Crossing’s menu is a celebration of ancient cuisines and ingredients, resulting in a unique narrative in which neo-modern dishes coexist with forgotten classics. They maintain popular Indian cuisine while also showcasing a more unique side with food from Rajput kitchens, North East India’s hidden jewels, and simple yet robust meals from India’s vast coastline.

• Pass by THE CROSSING and experience elevated Indian dining starting from the 16th of May until the 21st of May.
• Angar
• Date & Timing:
• 16/05 – 17/05 6:30 PM – 2 AM
• 18/05 – 21/05 11:30AM – 2AM
• Pricing: A la Carte

RETAIL THERAPY WITH INSTARUNWAY:

The InstaRunway van will come to W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island stocked with luxury garments, shoes, and accessories from sought labels such as SJP and Furla to give VIP shopping experiences to visitors and the glitterati searching for dresses, glamour, and fantastic finishing touches.

Call +971 2 656 0000 or Whatsapp +971 50 642 1011 to book tickets to the exhilarating events being held at the W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island from 13 May – 22 May.