IIFA 2026 set for August-September in Asia
22 Apr 2026

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards 2026 will take place in Asia between August and September, confirmed Andre Timmins, the founder-director of the event.

He told PTI that this year they are introducing an international best film category.

"For the first time this year, we are going to introduce an international best film like what Oscars does for the rest of the world...So, we will bring international films into it. The production house has to apply for the awards."

IIFA will pay tribute to Dharmendra
Tribute plans

Timmins revealed that the upcoming awards ceremony will pay tribute to veteran actor Dharmendra.

"Actor Anil Kapoor could be among those considered for IIFA honors, while a tribute is being planned for veteran actor Dharmendra with screenings of his iconic films such as 'Sholay' and others," Timmins said.

Timmins on IIFA's expansion plans
Global reach

Timmins reiterated that IIFA was created as a platform to promote Indian cinema on a global scale.

He said, "Cinema is soft power. The idea is to take India abroad, connect stars with global audiences, and open new markets for collaboration, business, and film production."

As part of its expansion plans, IIFA has launched several new initiatives such as IIFA Connects (a monthly industry event in Mumbai), digital awards for streaming content, and tributes to late artists.

IIFA awards have traveled to various global destinations
Historical perspective

The IIFA awards, organized annually by Wizcraft International, have traveled to various global destinations since their inception in 2000.

The first-ever ceremony took place in London and has since been held in cities like Johannesburg, Singapore, Amsterdam, Dubai, Yorkshire, Macau, Tampa Bay, Colombo, Toronto, Bangkok, Madrid, and Abu Dhabi.