Mumbai: The Indian Film Festival at Abu Dhabi was inaugurated by Yash Chopra. The inauguration ceremony kicked off with an address by United Arab Emirates minister for higher education & scientific research H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan. He was followed by ADACH director culture & art institute and the director of the Indian Film Festival Abdulla Al Salim Al Amri and then India’s ambassador to the UAE H.E. Talmiz Ahmad. Rachel Dwyer, scholar of Indian film and author of biography of Chopra then took the stage to introduce Chopra.

"The people of the UAE have always shown tremendous appreciation for Indian cinema," Chopra said, "As have the many people of Indian origin who have found a welcoming home in the UAE. I am glad, therefore, that a festival of Indian film is being held here on such a big scale and I wish with all my heart that it gets bigger and bigger in the years to come." After his comments, the vote of thanks were read out by Embassy of India first secretary S.K. Nangia, which was followed by the screening of the first film of the festival Veer-Zaara, produced and directed by Chopra himself.  

The Indian Film Festival at Abu Dhabi will run from 2 – 11 November and will showcase some of the most memorable works of Indian cinema from the recent past, as well as some works produced in the UAE itself.