Salman Khan, Riteish Deshmukh to host 22nd IIFA Awards, Varun Dhawan to perform on stage

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards are returning with hosts Salman Khan and Riteish Deshmukh. The 22nd edition, which will also have actor Varun Dhawan performing at the in-person event, will be held on 20 and 21 May at the Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Tickets for the upcoming event are available now. The awards ceremony will take place at the Etihad Arena, part of the Yas Bay waterfront, in collaboration with the department of culture and tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and Miral.

Khan, who is hosting the event for the first time, said, “It feels great to be a part of the IIFA movement and I look forward to hosting the 22nd edition at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi — one of my personal favourites. I'm sure fans from all over the world are as excited as us and can’t wait for this mega event to take place that celebrates Indian cinema globally.”

Deshmukh, who has co-hosted the event five times since 2008, added, “I'm super excited to be a part of the 22nd edition of IIFA 2022. It is even more special since we are coming back after a long wait for this grand celebration. I am looking forward to co-hosting with Salman Khan and having great fun!”

Dhawan said, “Performing at IIFA is always a delight. We all missed IIFA during the pandemic, and now it's back with a bang and I'm happy to be a part of it. I am excited for this incredible industry reunion at the 22nd edition of the IIFA Awards at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.”

Nexa from Maruti Suzuki India Limited will continue its partnership for the sixth consecutive edition of IIFA.

The ceremony for the 21st edition in 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though the winners were announced on Instagram. The last physical event was held in Mumbai in September 2019.