Karan Johar, Varun Dhawan, Maniesh Paul and Ananya Panday will co-host the IIFA Awards 2027 in Abu Dhabi, organisers announced in a press release on 12 October 2026.
The four hosts will take the stage at Etihad Arena on Yas Island on 23 January 2027. The awards night forms part of the 27th IIFA Weekend & Awards, scheduled for 22–23 January.
Four hosts share the IIFA stage
IIFA describes the four-person line-up as a first for its awards night. Johar and Paul return to a stage they have hosted before, while Panday will make her IIFA hosting debut.
Johar said the excitement and unpredictability of presenting a live IIFA show remained part of its appeal. Dhawan described hosting in Abu Dhabi as an honour, recalling his earlier performances and experiences at the event.
Panday said returning as a co-host was especially meaningful because her first IIFA performance took place on Yas Island. Paul also reflected on his previous hosting appearances and said he was looking forward to sharing the stage with the other presenters.
Dates, venue and tickets
- IIFA Weekend & Awards: 22–23 January 2027.
- Awards night: Saturday, 23 January 2027.
- Venue: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
- Tickets: Available through the official Etihad Arena booking page and Platinumlist, according to the organisers.
Readers can check availability and entry conditions on the official Etihad Arena ticket page. Further programme announcements will be shared through IIFA’s official website.
Meet the other IIFA 2027 hosts
Based on a press release and publicity images supplied by IIFA Festival PR and forwarded to Gulf Good News.