New Delhi, May 12
The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards presentation ceremony scheduled in Johannesburg on Saturday will be preceded by a Samsung-IIFA Celebrity Charity Cricket match.

The IIFA awards recognise the best talent in Indian cinema. This is the first time in the past four years that a match has been proposed to raise funds for the bereaved families of persons who have suffered misfortune in the course of shooting.

Addressing a crowded press conference at Taj Mansingh here, IIFA ambassador and member, IIFA advisory board, Amitabh Bachchan said, “We have decided to collect funds for people who have lost their lives in freak accidents and left behind wives, sisters amid little ones with no other means of livelihood. There are a lot of people down there who are wanting and needy. They are never talked about. Nobody talks about their hardships.”

Felicitating IIFA for its noble gesture, the superstar said the need to do something to help these people was felt on the sets of “LoC” in Kargil when two persons lost their lives. The actors, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Ajay Devgan and Abhishek Bachchan then decided to do something for them. There have been attempts made in the past to raise funds. Replying to a question, Amitabh said, “I don’t think there has been any figure set for the funds. We should make an endeavour to do as much as we can.”

The chosen venue for the awards presentation, for the second time in South Africa, assumes special significance as it coincides with the celebration of 10 years of diplomatic relations between India and South Africa.

Ms Maite Mokoana Mashabane, South African High Commissioner to India, described Amitabh as a “natural choice of a cultural ambassador between the two countries.”

Votes for awards for technical excellence and popular categories were cast by the best talent from the Indian cinema during the IIFA voting in Mumbai in March-end. The winners of the IIFA awards for technical excellence in choreography, sound recording, make up, cinematography, screenplay and dialogue, have already been announced. Nominations for the popular category from the public for 13 awards in the popular category ended today. Pricewaterhouse Coppers Private Limited, official auditors for the Oscars, will independently monitor all voting and audit and compile the final list of winners of the IIFA awards 2003.