In The News

The Hollywood Reporter writes on how Toronto became the North American launch pad of Indian Cinema. This June Toronto will play host to 12th annual IIFA Awards, Indian cinema's largest award show. Toronto was chosen as the site for the three-day celebration not only because it boasts a large South Asian population, but because it is a lively city that embraces multiculturalism and diversity.

"Roy Thomson Hall, already an Oscar launch-pad for Hollywood studio pics each September at the Toronto International Film Festival, had suddenly become fan central for hard core Bollywood fans."

"They wouldn't come to Toronto if they didn't expect fans to blow the lid off of the Rogers Centre," the venue of the 12th IIFA Awards, insists Veronica Chail, the Toronto-based host of OMNI Television's national entertainment magazine show Bollywood Boulevard."

"The IIFAs are produced annually by Wizcraft International Entertainment outside India and in rising markets for Bollywood product."

"And OMNI Television, as the official Canadian broadcast partner of the 2011 IIFA Awards, plans wall-to-wall coverage of the Indian film awards to reach and grow its Canadian south-Asian audience."

"When it comes to Bollywood, you're not selling anything. You're not trying to convince anyone. The audience has a core interest," Alain Strati, vp of the OMNI Station Group, explained."

"To celebrate Bollywood ahead of the green carpet style watch at the IIFA Awards in Toronto, OMNI is launching a Best of the IIFAs series, co-hosted by Veronica Chail and Mohit Rajhans.Chail explains the four-part series showcasing Bollywood's leading men and women and greatest IIFA Award dance numbers will also showcase how Toronto embraces diversity and Bollywood."

"The world lives here," she said of Toronto's varied multicultural communities, which each September soak up TIFF's international film lineup."

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original source Hollywood Reporter