DailyMirror
Sri Lanka had spent Rs 475 million for the Indian International Film Awards (IIFA) extravaganza which was held in Colombo earlier this year while Rs 25 million had been earned for the sale of VIP tickets alone, the Parliament was informed yesterday. As per the answer tabled by Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa in response to an oral question raised by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake in the House yesterday, Rs 475 million had been spent though the total estimated budget for the event was Rs 698 million.
According to the answer twenty five VIP packages of US $ 10,000 each have been sold. This package had included one double room in a 5 star hotel in the Colombo city on bed and breakfast basis with an additional ticket for spouse. One Indian national had purchased five such packages as per the tabled answer.
Tabled answer further revealed that some of the celebrities who have been invited had not participated in the event. However the brand Ambassador of IIFA Amitabh Bachchan participated at the inaugural press conference organized on April 19 2010 though he was absent at the event, while Film idol Shahrukh Khan had not participated in the past four IIFA events as well, in was stated.
It was also revealed that 2,650 rooms provided by the Colombo City Hoteliers Association for the IIFA invitees, crew members, but the organizers have filled the cancellation of rooms by the same category of celebrities and international media personnel.