Indian Cinema stars and Sri Lankan cricketers bat for Videocon IIFA Weekend: Charity Initiative, Cricket for Children launched with Sri Lanka Cricket and UNICEF
BY REMMA KAUR | MAY 24, 2010
Cementing its commitment to building bridges between countries, IIFA 2010 will host a special charity cricket spectacular as part of the Videocon IIFA Weekend in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The ‘Cricket for Children’ event, the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match, will be played between India’s top cinema stars and Sri Lankan cricketers.
Longtime IIFA supporter, Indian Cinema superstar, Anil Kapoor said, “IIFA’s journey over the last ten years has opened many doors for the Indian film Industry in the host country, be it in terms of the film shooting avenues or the assistance given to filmmakers and producers from Government and Tourism bodies. IIFA has also helped propel Indian Cinema, by virtue of the deals that have been struck with production houses and the screening of our films that would have never had the opportunity to be showcased there, prior to the IIFA event.”
Forming the Sri Lankan Cricket side are Sri Lankan cricketers, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumara Sangakkara and Jayawardena, among many others. The Indian contingent prepared to put up the fight for charity include superstars, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan, Suneil Shetty, Riteish Deshmukh and many more.
Legendary Sri Lankan cricketer, Muttiah Muralitharan said, “Playing the greats of the Indian cricketing world has always been special to me. The IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match is indeed a unique opportunity to make friends with the greats of the Indian Cinema fraternity and see how they compare. I hope our countrymen will root for the cause, supporting the initiative of ‘Cricket for Children’, in the spirit of the game.”
Adding a bit of glamour to the cricketing preceding, the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match official toss will be done at the hands of Bipasha Basu and Sanjay Dutt. The match to be held on Day 2 of the Videocon IIFA Weekend is expected to draw large crowds, giving cricket and cinema fans to see the best of the two fraternities, on one platform.
Recognizing the magnitude of the effects of the recently-ended conflict in Sri Lanka, the IIFA Charity Initiative, in conjunction with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board and UNICEF, aims to positively impact the lives of former child soldiers and other vulnerable children. Speaking on the partnership Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative, said “Here we see the magic of cinema and cricket coming together to build bridges of hope for these children to help them realize their full potential.”
The IIFA night of nights, the Micromax IIFA Awards 2010, will see a stunning performance line-up including, Salman Khan, Bipasha Basu, Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi and Sri Lanka’s own, Jacqueline Fernandez. For the first time, the world will also get to see a preview of the Kingdom of Dreams, which will perform a piece from the to-be launched theatre production that would be staged in Gurgaon. With a few more performances and tricks up its sleeve, the Awards ceremony will prove to be a never before spectacle, sure to dazzle the Emerald Isle.
The IIFA Weekend and Awards is held in conjunction with the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB). Star TV will once again showcase the Micromax IIFA Awards to audiences globally reaching out to millions of viewers.
The Indian cinema stars are set to descend onto Colombo for the IIFA Weekend and Awards from the 3rd-5th of June, 2010.
