Mumbai, Maharashtra: Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan, gearing up for his hosting debut at IIFA 2027, recently voiced concerns about the inadequate recognition given to film technicians at major award shows.
His remarks during the IIFA press conference in Mumbai prompted a quick response from Salman Khan, who affirmed that times are indeed changing for the better.
Varun Dhawan, son of veteran filmmaker David Dhawan, emphasized the crucial role of technicians, stating, “I feel today at film awards we talk about everything but films. We are here to celebrate films, actors, performances, and technicians. I am a technician’s son. I always feel the importance we gave to technicians before, we don’t give them that respect today. Hopefully, this time…” Salman Khan swiftly interjected, acknowledging the shift in industry perspective. Varun then added, “Now it is given more credit. This time Salman Bhai has made sure that it will be given respect.”
Dhawan also pledged to bring an unfiltered and film-centric approach to his hosting duties for IIFA 2027, aiming to re-focus the event on the art of filmmaking. Salman Khan, known for his candid advice, humorously suggested, “Don’t host. Six hours go into hosting. Best is to perform and leave,” eliciting laughter from the attendees.
The press conference saw a star-studded gathering including Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Rashmika Mandanna, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, and Abhishek Banerjee. Rashmika Mandanna expressed her excitement for her debut performance at IIFA, a moment she described as eight years in the making. The 27th IIFA Awards are scheduled for January 22 and 23, 2027, at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, marking IIFA’s fourth return to the city.