Alia Bhatt's 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', 'Brahmastra' lead IIFA Awards nominations

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor in Brahmastra: Part One - Shiva

Alia Bhatt's two blockbusters of the year 2022 -- "Gangubai Kathiawadi" and "Brahmastra Part One: Shiva" -- lead the nominations for the upcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards. The organisers of the IIFA Awards on Monday announced the nominations for popular categories for its 23nd edition, to be held at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE in February 2023.

"Gangubai Kathiawadi" received eight nods, including best actor (female) for Bhatt, best picture, and best director for Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Besides his best director nod, Bhansali is also a contender in the best music director category. The film, adapted from one of the chapters of noted author Hussain Zaidi's book, "Mafia Queens of Mumbai", is nominated in best supporting actor (male) for Vijay Raaz, best playback singer (female), best story (adapted) and best lyrics as well.

Bhatt's "Brahmastra Part One: Shiva", co-starring her actor-husband Ranbir Kapoor, will be vying for awards in best director, best supporting actor (both male and female), music director, best story (original), best playback singer (both male and female) and best lyrics categories. The other contenders for best picture trophy are -- "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2", "Darlings", "Drishyam 2" and "Vikram Vedha".

In the best director race, Bhansali and Ayan Mukerji of "Brahmastra Part One: Shiva" fame are joined by Anees Bazmee ("Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2"), Jasmeet K Reen ("Darlings"), Vasan Bala ("Monica O My Darling") and R Madhavan ("Rocketry: The Nambi Effect"). Bhatt has an additional nomination in the best actor (female) category for her performance in "Darlings", which marked her debut as a producer.

She faces competition from "Darlings" co-star Shefali Shah as well as Yami Gautam Dhar ("A Thursday") and Tabu ("Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2"). Similarly, Tabu is nominated for best supporting actor (female). She is joined by Sheeba Chadha ("Badhaai Do"), Mouni Roy ("Brahmastra Part One: Shiva"), Nimrat Kaur ("Dasvi") and Radhika Apte ("Monica O My Darling"). Kartik Aaryan is nominated in the best actor (male) along with Hrithik Roshan ("Vikram Vedha"), Abhishek Bachchan ("Dasvi"), Ajay Devgn ("Drishyam 2"), Rajkummar Rao ("Monica O My Darling") and Anupam Kher ("The Kashmir Files").

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan received a surprise nomination in the best supporting actor (male) category for his extended cameo in "Brahmastra Part One: Shiva". He will go up against Abhishek Banerjee ("Bhediya"), Vijay Raaz ("Gangubai Kathiawadi"), Anil Kapoor ("Jugjugg Jeeyo") and Sikander Kher ("Monica O My Darling"). Mukerji is nominated in the best story (original) as well, alongside Akshat Ghildial and Suman Adhikary ("Badhaai Do"), R Balki ("Chup"), Jasmeet K Reen and Parveez Shaikh ("Darlings"); and Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri ("The Kashmir Files").

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The nominees for best story (adapted) are Aamil Keeyan Khan and Abhishek Pathak ("Drishyam 2"), Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges ("Gangubai Kathiawadi"), Yogesh Chandekar ("Monica O My Darling"), Madhavan ("Rocketry: The Nambi Effect"); and Pushkar, Gayatri and BA Fida ("Vikram Vedha"). The nominees for best music direction also include, Pritam ("Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2" and "Brahmastra Part One: Shiva"), Oaff and Savera ("Gehraiyaan"), Tanishk Bagchi, Pozy, Kanishk Seth and Vishal Shelke ("Jugjugg Jeeyo").

In the best playback singer (female) category, Shreya Ghoshal has two nominations for "Rasiya" ("Brahmastra Part One: Shiva") and "Jab Saiyaan" ("Gangubai Kathiawadi"). Jonita Gandhi for the song "Deva Deva" ("Brahmastra Part One: Shiva"), Lothika for "Doobey" ("Gehraiyaan") and Kavita Seth for "Rangi Sari" ("Jugjugg Jeeyo") are the other nominees in the same category.

Arijit Singh has two nominations in the best playback singer (male) segment -- "Kesariya" and "Deva Deva" ("Brahmastra Part One: Shiva). Also vying for the award are Mohit Chauhan for "Gehraiyaan" (reprise) ("Gehraiyaan"), Kanishk Seth for "Rangi Sari" ("Jugjugg Jeeyo") and Aditya Rao for "Behney Do" ("Rocketry: The Nambi Effect"). The nominees for best lyrics are Varun Grover for "Atak Gaya Hai" ("Badhaai Do"), Amitabh Bhattacharya for "Kesariya" ("Brahmastra Part One: Shiva"), AM Turaz for "Jab Saiyaan" ("Gangubai Kathiawadi"), Ankur Tewari for "Gehraiyaan" ("Gehraiyaan") and Raj Shekhar for "Behney Do" ("Rocketry: The Nambi Effect").

Actors Abhishek Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar and Maniesh Paul will be hosting the award ceremony. The annual gala is being held in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism ¿ Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and Miral, Abu Dhabi's leading curator of immersive destinations and experiences.

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