The 27th edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards is taking shape around an emotional centrepiece. Janhvi Kapoor is expected to pay tribute to her late mother, Sridevi, with a special performance at IIFA 2027, which is set for 22 and 23 January at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
IIFA co-founder Andre Timmins told ANI that the Sridevi performance is the only tribute currently planned around the star. “Janhvi will pay tribute to her mother, Sridevi, who’s a brilliant artist that we had on this planet,” he said. Timmins added that Janhvi was excited, and that her father, producer Boney Kapoor, was even more enthusiastic about the idea.
Why this tribute carries weight
Sridevi was one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated performers, with a body of work that stretched across languages and genres. That legacy makes any tribute notable. Placing her daughter in the centre of it turns a stage performance into a family memory, and gives the Abu Dhabi audience a rare, personal view of an artist they have followed for decades.
The setting matters too. Yas Island has become an established international home for IIFA, and the Etihad Arena stage allows the ceremony to play to a global Indian audience. Janhvi, in a statement, said the event brings together artists, audiences and the global Indian community through cinema.
Janhvi’s return to the IIFA stage
This will not be Janhvi’s first time on the IIFA stage in Abu Dhabi. She recalled that her first IIFA performance there left her with nerves, excitement and “the incredible energy of that night.” Returning, she said, feels like coming back “with so much more love and excitement.”
“I cannot wait to dance, perform and hopefully create another moment that stays with the audience long after the lights go down,” she said.
What we know so far
- Event: IIFA 2027, the 27th edition
- Dates: 22 and 23 January
- Venue: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
- Status: Tribute expected; the final programme is yet to be confirmed
On screen, Janhvi is next expected in Lag Jaa Gale with Lakshya and Tiger Shroff, and has an untitled project directed by Umesh Bisht alongside Sreeleela. For Sridevi fans, the Abu Dhabi dates are the ones to circle, with further details of the tribute still to come.
For an award show built on celebrating Indian cinema, the potential Sridevi tribute already gives IIFA 2027 a deeply felt reason to watch. The moment is poignant without being overplayed, and its final shape will determine how strongly it resonates.
Source: Bollywood Hungama