Mumbai, January 29th, 2013: The Times of India Group brings, to fans worldwide, a global and democratic award – the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) that honors and recognizes excellence in Hindi Cinema. Felicitating the best from the field of acting, direction, music, choreography and scripting, the awards will be held annually at diverse international destinations, thus taking the charm of Hindi Cinema overseas. In its first year, TOIFA partners with British Columbia to hold the prestigious awards in Vancouver, Canada, from April 4 – April 6, 2013.
Talking about the launch of TOIFA, Mr. Vineet Jain, MD, Times of India Group said, “
Times of India Film Awards is yet another step in getting closer to millions of Indians across the globe. The Times of India Group has always been at the center of the readers’ mind and heart. As we celebrate our lineage of 175 glorious years of thought-leadership in the media, TOIFA will extend this to a worldwide audience. The awards come at a time when Hindi Cinema celebrates a centenary milestone of offering versatile entertainment. We are happy to have the first edition of these awards at Vancouver and we look forward to taking these awards to various global destinations over the coming years, and creating stronger bonds for Indians through the Hindi Film Industry. I thank all our supporters and stakeholders who have helped us push the boundaries of creativity to make this landmark event possible”.
TOIFA 2013 will be held in Vancouver, a city which has been consistently ranked as one of the “Best cities to live in” and boasts of a rich heritage of films and entertainment, making it an ideal destination to host the Times of India Film Awards. The demographics and cultural background that the city boasts of, makes Vancouver the perfect host for TOIFA 2013.
Talking about this association, Premier Christy Clark said, “
On behalf of the beautiful province of British Columbia, I am pleased and proud to welcome the Times of India Film Awards to Vancouver. Travelers and investors alike from India will feel welcome, as Vancouver is home to one of the largest and oldest South Asian communities in Canada. My sincere thanks to the Times of India Group for the honor of choosing us as their inaugural destination for TOIFA. As we celebrate the best of Indian Cinema, we look forward to showing India what B.C. has to offer."
Celebrating the centenary milestone of Hindi Cinema on a global platform, TOIFA will connect the international film communities and act as a gateway to the glittering world of showbiz. The awards give fans a chance to vote for their favorites that have demonstrated exceptional work spread across 14 different categories. Inspired by the core values of the Times of India Group, the specially designed TOIFA trophy represents innovation, integrity, credibility and strength.
Speaking on the occasion of the launch of TOIFA, Shah Rukh Khan said, “
It gives me immense pleasure to be a part of the launch of the Times of India Film Awards today. Awards are a representation of our hard work and effort that we put in to entertain our audiences. I am delighted that The Times of India Group has taken a step towards bridging the gap between us and our fans worldwide.”
He further adds, “
As a part of our work, we get the opportunity to shoot films across several international locations and it is a great experience to meet fans around the world. I have always been amazed by the love and fan following for Hindi Films in Canada and I am looking forward to the awards weekend being held in Vancouver.”
Jim Nickel, Deputy High Commissioner and Acting Consul General of Canada in India said, “
Hosting the Times of India Film Awards in Vancouver will showcase Canada’s vibrant cultural sector and will promote Canada as a competitive destination for film production and collaboration. The Times of India Film Awards will further connect the Canadian and Indian film industries and will also deepen the already strong people to people ties between our two countries. The awards and surrounding events will provide the opportunity to feature Canada and what it has to offer to business and to visitors.”
Also present at the occasion, one of India’s best known Choreographers Shiamak Davar said, “
It is indeed remarkable that Times of India has taken this great initiative by launching TOIFA. It is always motivating to receive recognition from our fans and the fraternity. It has been amazing to see the international recognition that Hindi Cinema has got over the years. Coming from a creative background, I’m sure that TOIFA will recognize the deserving and use this platform to nurture creative and latent talent in India. Looking forward to a great awards weekend in Vancouver.”
April 5th, 2013
Mumbai: Excitement is growing around the
world with just three days to go until the inaugural Times of India Film Awards
(TOIFA) celebrations kick off in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The Red Carpet gets
rolled out Saturday, April 6th at BC Place – where the best of Bollywood will
be honoured at the inaugural TOIFA. The highly anticipated event, drawing
attention from around the globe, includes performances and appearances from the
world’s most well recognized Hindi film stars. Bollywood celebrities expected
to hit the official red carpet ceremony include Ranbir Kapoor, Anuskha Sharma
and Boman Irani, hosts for the evening.
The beloved Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan,
Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra will all deliver incredible performances
throughout the night.
