IIFA Utsavam postponed due to Chennai deluge

The first edition of IIFA Utsavam, which was scheduled to be held from December 4-6, has been postponed in solidarity with the flood victims of Chennai.

The event, which was initiated to celebrate south Indian cinema, will be back in a bigger avatar in January next year integrated with a fund-raiser for Chennai.

The IIFA leadership with all key stakeholders -- the south Indian film industry and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Telangana governor E.S.L. Narasimhan -- took a unanimous decision to postpone the event, read a statement.

Life in Chennai has come to a grinding halt with the city reeling under floods after receiving torrential rains over the last several weeks.

IIFA Utsavam was to bring together four southern film industries -- Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam -- in a celebration in Hyderabad over this weekend.

Speaking on behalf of the IIFA Management, Andre Timmins, founder-director of Wizcraft International, said: "Today, we are one with the city of Chennai and, together with the film industry, we will show our complete support in aid of those affected by this tragedy."

"The first edition of IIFA Utsavam in conjunction with the film industries of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam will be held later as a fund-raiser for the flood victims. We are saddened by this disaster and our support and prayers are with the people of the city," he added.