Pressure On Bollywood to Boycott IIFA Awards By South Indian Film Industry

Southern film stars are calling on the Bollywood counterparts to skip the IIFA Awards that are being held in Colombo in solidarity with Sri Lankan Tamils. The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce has also threatened to boycott any Bollywood star who turns up for the function.

The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce has issued an open threat to Bollywood stars, "Boycott IIFA Awards in Colombo or face the music down south."

The chamber has decided not to screen films of stars who choose to attend the IIFA Awards. They will not cooperate with Hindi directors and technicians as well. They say it's not too late to postpone the function and shift the venue to another country.

Says L Suresh, President, The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, "Although the ethnic war is over, the Sri Lankan government is trying to project as if the peace has come back to the country and India has come here to hold the award function.

But the Chamber is considerate towards stars who have contractual obligations to perform. Actress Khushbu is of the view that those who are bounded by the contract, shouldn't get into the trouble by skipping the award ceremony.

"But people who are invitees, they can refrain from going all the way," She says.

Kamal Haasan has appealed for a change of venue, while director Mani Ratnam has already announced that he will not be going because his film Raavan hasn't yet been completed.
The actors who will not be attending the function, for a variety of reason include: Aishwarya and Abishek Bachchan who are usually IIFA regulars, Shahrukh Khan who hasn't attended for the last few years and Aamir Khan, who never attends.

Meanwhile there are others who are likely to make it to the awards night. Lara Dutta, Boman Irani, Riteish Deshmukh are already in Sri Lanka. So are Vivek Oberoi and Mahesh Bhupathi.

Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan will be there so will Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor. Salman Khan is the ambassador for IIFA's social initiative and Hrithik Roshan has been a regular at the show. One way or another it looks like the show will go on.