IIFA 2025 pre-event: Shah Rukh Khan teaches Kartik Aaryan how to host

Actors Kartik Aaryan and Shah Rukh Khan during the IIFA 2025 press conference in Mumbai on January 24, 2025 (Friday).
| Photo Credit: iifa/Instagram

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has credited International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards for taking Indian cinema to the global stage.

“It’s a marvellous achievement taking Indian cinema forward… It’s been good times with IIFA, and I pray for them (organisers) that they take Indian cinema global, put it on the platform, which makes us relevant all over the world,” Shah Rukh told reporters in Mumbai at the IIFA press conference on Friday evening.

The Bollywood star, who has been associated with the IIFA awards for over two decades, said he has some “fond and wild” memories of attending the award show over the years.

“It’s been a great journey, it’s been too much fun. They (organisers – Andre Timmims, Viraf Sarkari and Sabbas Joseph) always have been hard working, I remember them arranging chairs at different award functions for us, been kind to us, and showing warmth. From the beginning of the show to the end, they’ve been always looking after us,” he said, adding he has had a great time performing and hosting the IIFA Awards in the past

On a lighter note, Shah Rukh taught actor Kartik Aaryan how to host people in Jaipur. Kartik is set to host the upcoming awards show. “Padharo mare desh, Rajasthan,” Khan said as Aryan repeated after him, adding that he will give his best as a host.

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“I’m happy to be part of 25th anniversary of IIFA. I’m going to host and I hope I’m going to be the second best host because no one can beat him (Shah Rukh). Whenever Shah Rukh sir has hosted or performed, he has been at it. It’s always like a stadium like effect,” the Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 actor said.

The press conference was also attended by Deputy Rajasthan Chief Minister Diya Kumari, who said they are honoured to host the IIFA Awards in Jaipur. The 25th edition of the IIFA Awards will be held on March 8 and 9 in Jaipur.