Hyderabad: The Government of Telangana has announced a landmark multi-year global partnership with the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend & Awards. The agreement was finalized during the Telangana Rising Global Summit 2025, marking a significant step in positioning the state as a cultural and creative powerhouse.
Under this partnership, Telangana becomes the Official Partner State for IIFA Weekend & Awards 2026. Additionally, Hyderabad will host IIFA Utsavam for three consecutive years from 2026 to 2028, celebrating South Indian cinema across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam film industries.
The collaboration establishes a dual global strategy aimed at taking Telangana to international audiences and bringing global attention to the state.
Telangana will gain unprecedented international visibility during IIFA’s 26th edition in 2026. The state will feature across IIFA’s broadcast network reaching over 120 countries. The event commands a global viewership of more than 2.5 billion people, significantly boosting Telangana’s international branding, cultural diplomacy, tourism, and global investor engagement.
For three years, Hyderabad will become the epicenter of South Indian cinema celebrations through IIFA Utsavam. The event is expected to attract thousands of visitors annually and strengthen Telangana’s position as South India’s cultural capital while expanding film-led tourism and boosting the hospitality, events, retail, digital media, and film production sectors.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said, “Telangana is proud to announce a transformative partnership with IIFA, one of India’s most influential cultural institutions. Through IIFA 2026, we will take the story of Telangana to the world, and through IIFA Utsavam in Hyderabad from 2026 to 2028, we will bring the world back to our State.”
The Chief Minister emphasized that the alliance aligns with the government’s goal of building a future-ready Telangana, contributing to the state’s target of becoming a USD 1 trillion economy by 2034 and delivering 10 percent of India’s GDP by 2047.
The agreement will strengthen several key initiatives including the Film in Telangana initiative to make the state India’s most film-friendly region, youth skill development through TASK, and expansion of the creative economy via IIFA Think Tank and Friends of IIFA.
Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary (SPEED), Tourism, Culture & Sports, stated, “This partnership is fully aligned with Telangana’s Tourism Policy 2025-2030. Hosting IIFA Utsavam for three years will redefine Hyderabad as the cultural and filmmaking capital of South India.”
He added that the collaboration will expand the creative economy, empower youth, advance film industry competitiveness, and strengthen global tourism and engagement.
For the last 25 years, IIFA has built a legacy across world capitals including London, New York, Singapore, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Abu Dhabi. With massive global viewership and multi-billion rupee media valuation, IIFA serves as one of India’s strongest cultural exports.
Andre Timmins, IIFA Co-founder, said, “Together, we are creating a platform that unites India’s creative industries and elevates Telangana’s global identity. At IIFA 2026, Telangana will command a powerful international presence. And through IIFA Utsavam 2026–2028, we will bring the world to Telangana.”
