Amitabh and IIFA Association

The year - 2007, the city - London, the venue - House of Commons. IIFA Brand Ambassador Mr. Amitabh Bachchan was to give a welcome speech and announce the IIFA Yorkshire 2007 and meet the then Prime Minister of the UK, Mr. Tony Blair.

Channel Four, BBC, GM TV, all the top broadcast channels from the UK ready to pan the mighty Big B as he strides in along with the Minister of Culture Tessa Jowell, Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Office Keith Vaz, Lord Swaraj Paul, NRI Industrialist and British Ambassador
for Overseas Business, Indian High Commissioner Kamlesh Sharma, and scores of members of both houses of Parliament. What followed were some memorable speeches made by the dignitaries, a photo call, handling of the Big B with Big Ben picture and the famous Tony Blair
speech.

The Brand Ambassador speech was the most endearingly likeable. He had to say: "About fifty sixty years ago, acting in films was not considered an honourable profession and many families in fact disapproved of their children taking to acting. But today it is a matter of pride that I am being showered with love and affection in this August House, mainly because of the eminence and appreciation the Indian films have earned in the overseas."

The conference got over and I was told to travel to Yorkshire in the same train in which Mr Bachchan was travelling to announce the IIFA awards up north. He has worked to take IIFA where it has reached now.

A great moment. The torch bearer Bachchan was busy then and is doubly busy now as the IIFA gets set to take Macau by storm in what's said to be the golden decade for the IIFA. His speeches, his humorous remarks, his dazzling performances on stage, him honouring the Lifetime Achievers and many more such instances makes IIFA worth it's wait, and no matter what people say about the IIFAs, for me, it's about this one man Amitabh Bachchan, who has lifted the IIFA torch with utmost pride, passion and conviction since a decade.

A man, who is admired, loved and worshipped the world over for his undeniable support towards the Indian Film Industry - the larger than life Amitabh Bachchan.Await him at the 10th Anniversary of IIFA.