Skip IIFA: South Indian film industry to Bollywood

In a joint statement here, various industry bodies including South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce said that they were not opposing the awards ceremony but were against the event being organised in Sri Lanka, in an apparent reference to the alleged killing of civilian Tamils at the height of the conflict between Sri Lankan army and LTTE last year.

"We request the brothers in the North Indian film industry not to attend the IIFA awards... and boycott the same. The same view is endorsed by all the artistes, producers, distributors and exhibitors of four southern states chambers of commerce," the statement said.
The South Indian film fraternity will not cooperate with film personalities participating in the IIFA event, they said, adding the Exhibitors Associations in South India will also boycott their films.

The industry bodies have also resolved not to encourage any South Indian film to be made in Sri Lankan locales and neither would they participate in cultural programmes there.
Opposition has been brewing in Tamil Nadu and Tamil filmdom over the choice of this year's venue for the IIFA, Colombo, with most artistes including icons Kamal Haasan and ace director Mani Ratnam opting out, citing the choice of the venue.

This year's IIFA will also miss most of the glam quotient including regulars Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The couple is busy promoting Ratnam's flick "Raavan".
Even the event's brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan's presence is not confirmed. Superstar Rajnikanth has already declined the invitation to attend the event.
Though Prakash Jha's "Raajneeti" may be screened at the IIFA, actor Arjun Rampal, who features in it, has decided to give the event a miss. "Will not be going to IIFA, have a charity event in Hong Kong for 'Raajneeti' that day," tweeted Arjun, who won the best supporting actor's trophy at IIFA 2009.