IIFA 2024: 'Animal' wins best picture award, Shah Rukh Khan named best actor; as it happened

Bollywood brought glitz and glamour to the UAE at this year’s edition of International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA), which took place in Abu Dhabi.

The extravaganza that draws movie stars from across India was held at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.

The mega event is a three-day gala that began with IIFA Utsavam, a celebration of south Indian film industries, on September 27.

where artistes such as Honey Singh, Shilpa Rao and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy will perform.

On September 28, Bollywood took centre stage, and it was extra special because of its hosts, namely, the , the , and the movie director Karan Johar in these festivities. Many interesting things are planned, including spectacular performances by the likes of actress Rekha.

The team is on the ground to report on things live, as they happen tonight, so sit back, relax, and keep your refresh button pressed; this is going to be an action-packed night.

But before we head to the main event, here’s a look at some cool behind-the-scenes moments from IIFA 2024.

The stars are going all out for IIFA 2024. Don't believe us? Just check out these cool practice reels - that's an A for effort guys.

Shahid Kapoor is also going to be on stage, and apparently he can't wait. "We're very excited for the IIFA weekend. It’s a chance to interact with people, do different activities, and visit new places, so it's always fun."

Here's what he had to say about his performance to the IIFA team:

Meanwhile, actress Kriti Sanon, who is also set to perform this weekend, said Shah Rukh has this infectious energy. "I am looking forward to seeing him host," she said. "I used to always love watching him host because of the energy he has."

Meanwhile, it's time for the legendary evening to come to an end - and it does, in brilliant style, with a performance by Rekha. When the news of her performing was announced earlier this year, she said: "IFA holds a special place in my heart, representing not just a celebration of Indian cinema but a vibrant fusion of art, culture, and love on a global stage."

Rani Mukerji is the winner of the Best Performance in a Leading Role (Female) award for her role in

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) goes to Shah Rukh Khan for

Best Debut Director goes to Karan Boolani for his film

Alizeh Agnihotri is named Best Debut Actor for her stint in

On the sidelines of IIFA, Shahid Kapoor speaks about his performance, saying he's a morning person so he's glad he finished his performance first. As for his morning routine, he refuses to divulge it, calling it a "secret" that took a long time to perfect.

Outstanding Contribution to the Growth of Indian Cinema goes to Ajay Bijli.

The prize for Best Story goes to Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khalistan, and Sumit Roy for

Best Story (Adapted) goes to

Shah Rukh and Vicky dance to the viral song

If you’ve been finding yourself singing along to the number from the movie , and attempting to do the now famous hook step, don’t worry, you aren’t the only one.

Ananya Panday takes to the stage.

She will give the award for best playback singer(female). And the winner is...Shilpa Rao for

Bhupinder Babbal wins the title of Best Playback Singer (Male) for .

The film's director, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, takes the award on Babbal's behalf.

Best Music Direction: The award is given to

And the Best Lyrics Award goes to Siddharth-Garima for from the movie

Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor perform to before handing the stage over to hosts Shah Rukh and Vicky.

Kriti Sanon joins Shahid Kapoor on stage. And this followed by a number by Prabhu Deva.

Meanwhile, stars such as Hema Malini and Niharika Konidela are walking the red carpet.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh takes the stage amid a firework-filled introduction. Check out the grand spectacle below:

Badshah gets on stage and introduces Shah Rukh Khan!

Rozik has told in an earlier interview of the importance of staying true to himself. "I owe much of my success to embracing who I am. I am forever grateful for my health and for the support of all of you who helped me become who I am today."

Gulshan Grove stops to say hello.

In an interview with Indian news agency ANI, Kriti Sanon said yesterday that stars deal with a lot of scrutiny these days because of social media. But, she said, there are two sides to fame. "We can obviously connect to our fans a lot more easily. We probably do two films a year but then the rest of the time we can sort of connect with them [through this medium]. So, I think there are pros and cons both," she explained.

Today, she's been hard at work practising for her performance on the IIFA stage.

Taha Shah Badussha, best known for his role as Tajdar in the Netflix series has chosen a classic look for this evening.

Badussha is acutely aware of the spotlight on him, courtesy filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama, especially since his was to be a short appearance that later bloomed into a full-fledged role. “I literally got a three-day role and I was very happy. Then, he increased my role to [that of Balraj]. And then he increased it to Tajdar’s role,” he told Khaleej Times in an earlier interview.

's Ebraheem Al Samadi stops to chat with on the green carpet. The reality TV star is also the owner of the Forever Rose Cafe in Boxpark. His co-star Safa Siddiqui is also at the event.

Sabbas Joseph, co-founder of Wizcraft, on Shah Rukh Khan returning to the stage after all these years: "He belongs to the stage."

IIFA 2024: 'Animal' wins best picture award, Shah Rukh Khan named best actor; as it happened

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