Amitabh Bachchan launches IIFA Awards in Dubai 15th June 2006
11.20 IST
By Agencies
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan on Wednesday launched the seventh International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) festival in Dubai.
Some of Bollywood's biggest names are gathered at the largest festival of Indian films abroad.
Bachchan, who is "brand ambassador" for IIFA, said, "Our cinema requires to be seen by more people."
Launching the IIFA Weekend at a news conference, Bachchan said the people in the West were initially "cynical" about attempts to promote Indian cinema around the world, but the situation had now changed.
There was also special praise from Bachchan for Dubai, the venue for the four-day festival. Describing it as a "unique miracle", he said, "It is a meeting point for the cultures of the West and of the East."
The IIFA Weekend and Awards, which are regarded as India's equivalent of the Oscars, will showcase 32 movies. They include 14 south Indian, 16 Hindi, one Marathi, one Bengali and six short films.
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Amitabh Bachchan launches IIFA Awards in Dubai
