Bollywood yesterday postponed the award ceremony of the International Indian Academy of Film because of the spread of the new Corona virus.
The organizers of the most important awards ceremony in Indian cinema said that they had to cancel the three-day event in Indore, which was supposed to start on March 27, due to the widespread health crisis.
Prominent names from Bollywood circles such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif would have participated in the event. The "Galli Boy" movie about a rapper in Bombay was the favorite to win major awards.
Organizers explained that the decision was taken "in consideration of the growing concerns" about the spread of the Covid-19 virus, while ensuring that everyone is healthy and safe.
"We will announce a new date as soon as possible," the organizers added.
The Indian film industry is the largest in the world in terms of number of films, with about 1,800 acts released in 2018. After the event was held in various countries and other Indian cities, the awards ceremony was supposed to take place this year in Bombay again.
But the government has warned against setting up mass gatherings due to the virus that has infected 30 people so far in India, and many conferences and celebrations marking the religious color festival have been canceled.
The decision was taken "in consideration of the growing fears."