The inaugural Arab Indo Bollywood Awards will be held in Dubai on Friday, May 29. The event is set to be a star-studded, red-carpet extravaganza, hosted by Karan Johar and Manish Paul.
The show will feature performances from stars including Jacqueline Fernandez, Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan and Parineeti Chopra.
We caught up with Chopra for a quick chat about her thoughts on Dubai abd what fans can look forward to from her at the awards ceremony.
You are back in Dubai for the first AIBA ceremony. What do you think of the city?
Dubai is a city I am very close to, in fact, it’s like my second home and in that sense it’s very special to me. Actually, my best friend lives here so and I come here very often. I have a lot of fun memories attached to Dubai and I have always had a great time when I am here. I am sure this time would be no different.
What can we expect from your performance at AIBA? Are you looking forward to the event?
I am very excited to be participating in these inaugural AIBA Awards. It’s a one-of-a-kind venture in the sense that it’s a sincere effort to connect two cultures – the Arab and the Indian – and promote our cinema to this part of the world. I am sure this will open up many opportunities in the future.
As for my performance – I have something very special lined up for the show. My team and I have worked really hard on putting a routine together that I hope the audience enjoys as much as we have enjoyed developing it. The audience reaction on Friday will be a judge of that.
The Arab Indo Bollywood Awards ceremony is at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on May 29. Visit www.aibagulf.com for more details and ticket information
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The five pillars of Islam
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Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
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Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
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Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.