Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Indians Descend on IIFA

   

Hilton Hotel Madness

       IIFA, or International Indian Film Academy, has caused thousands of Indian to flock to Tampa Bay, Florida to see their favorite Bollywood stars. Bollywood, the equivalent of the USA’s glitzy Hollywood, usually have award ceremonies (like America’s Oscars) throughout the world, not just in India. Last year, the Academy took its famous celebrities to China and the year before, Signapore. Why Tampa Bay? It’s small, generally uninteresting compared to New York City or Los Angeles, and is just a little green dot in the middle of hokey Florida on most maps. However, there is a large Indian-American population in Tampa and in Pinellas County; local doctors (i.e. with the last name Patel) also donated astronomical sums of money to have Tampa Bay become recognized for its beachy-urban vibe all over the world.

       The cultural events started Wednesday, April 23rd and continued until this Saturday, the 26th. My parents and I drove to Tampa to witness the invasion of Indians and Asian glamour. Just driving in downtown Tampa we saw herds of Indians in their beautiful saris, expensive ray bans, and elaborate jewels and henna tattoos crowding the wide streets. Although I personally don’t watch Bollywood films (I do not speak Hindi), some of the famous Indian actors that attended the IFFA Awards were Ranveer Singh, Richa Chadda, and Farhan Akhtar. My Indian friend LOVES Bollywood movies, and has been excited to attend this glamorous event for weeks—she even partied at the Stomp, an “authentic Indian experience” in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. Thousands of Indians (and other races) gyrating to the pulsing beat must have been a culture shock to all those unfamiliar with the unique Indian customs. Listening on NPR this week, one of the reporters actually talked with the Indian version of fangirls who took pictures with the haute Anil Kapoor at the Stomp. “Dancing is an important part of the Indian way of life,” one of the girls stated with conviction. Besides the crazy evening events, IIFA is also hosted Global Business Forums, Weekend Press Conferences, Green Carpet events, and Film Workshops.
       A month ago, I strolled among heaps of jeweled sari fabric and heavy, 10 pound collars and bracelets in the IIFA Expo at the Convention Center. Because it was towards the end of the day (and therefore near the final awards ceremony at Raymond James), the high ceilinged hall was nearly empty. The smell of curry (from the clothes and from the food stands) was overwhelming at some times, but the life size cut outs of Indian actors with their simpering glares was completely worth it. Everything in the building was fashionable, high end, and classy, even the people themselves (i.e. the women’s hair perfectly curled, the mounds of air-brushed makeup on the women’s skin, and the piles of trendy bangles littering most of the plastic tabletops). The most interesting part of this experience, however, was walking in the heart of downtown Tampa outside the swanky Hilton Hotel. There was a small crowd of Indian fans pouring over the makeshift barricade outside the entrance of the Hotel, clamoring to catch a glimpse of the famous Bollywood stars. The sporadic cries of fanaticism in Hindi and the look of confusion on the faces of the mostly white police were priceless. I have never been to India, but I certainly would like to travel there someday with my father and see the village where my family lives, Mumbai, and of course, the famed Taj Mahal. Has anyone else been to India? Send pictures of your visit to !
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