"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.