North Bollywood rocks

 Actress Bipasha Basu (below), who stars in a sequel to the comedyKyaa Kool Hai Hum in April 2012, performs at the show watched by 700 million.

Photograph by: Reuters, Postmedia News; National Post

Hollywood A listers Hilary Swank and Cuba Gooding Jr. joined Bollywood's biggest stars on the green carpet this weekend for the-Floriana IIFA awards in Toronto.

The glitzy awards gala celebrating the best in Indian film thrilled a live audience of 22,000 in the Rogers Centre; another 700 million viewers were estimated to have tuned-in to the song and dance extravaganza.
Anil Kapoor, who played the game show host in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, thanked Canada for "making us feel . .  the Indian summer's warmth." Then he gave a rock star's welcome to "the star of stars . .  my friend who has made this happen," Ontario premier-Dalton McGuinty.

"We have been waiting for this day to come," said McGuinty, who walked the green carpet with superstar Shah Rukh Khan. "I want to introduce you to Ontario. This is my place."


Outside, fans crowded the streets to catch a-glimpse of the stars as they arrived. Spectators came dressed in evening gowns and saris and stood on planters with binoculars-focused on the green carpet.

"We came to see the colour, the glamour. They're pretty much style icons for us," said Doveeni Uthayaseelan, 30. Screams swelled-around her.

Dost Mughal, 54, brought his entire family to Toronto from Winnipeg for the weekend to attend the spectacle. "We couldn't miss this opportunity," the Pakistan-born travel agent said. He stood against the gate near-the green carpet before the show with his wife and his three adult children. "Once in a lifetime, this show is in Toronto."

He has been watching--Bollywood films for decades: "We watch, we learn, we cry and we laugh."

He was most excited to see Khan who was nominated for best actor in the drama, My Name is Khan. Khan performed the- evening's finale.

"It's a dream come true when you see them in person," Mughal said.

And the dream was realized when Khan's vehicle pulled up in front of the Mughal family and the icon waved at them. Mughal-captured the moment on video. "A one minute, 32 second video," he said with a smile. "He's the king."

Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, a story about two gangsters surviving in Bombay in the 1980s, led with 12 nominations, followed by Dabangg, a film about-a mischievous and corrupt cop, with 11 nods, including best film, director and actor.

Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor (left) and Hilary Swank arrive for the International Indian Film Academy(IIFA) Awards in Toronto on Saturday.

 

My Name is Khan, which was highly popular overseas, was nominated in seven categories. It tells the story of an Indian family living in the United States during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorism attacks. Shah Rukh Khan was recognized for his lead role as the Muslim patriarch who suffers from-Asperger's syndrome.
Source:http://www.theprovince.com