IIFA Awards 2018: Kevin Spacey's lungi dance, Ranveer proposing to Deepika — best moments over the years

The IIFA Awards have always set the stage for iconic moments in Bollywood history. The show’s dazzling performances by actors and actresses, wry humoured hosts and a spectacular line-up of international stars have always charmed audiences worldwide. The 2018 IIFA Awards are gearing up to return to Bangkok almost after a decade and will be held from 22 to 24 June. With the 19th edition of IIFA coming up this weekend, let us take a Throwback Thursday look at the best IIFA moments so far. John Travolta grooves to ‘Staying Alive’ and ‘Tune Maari Entriyaan’ John Travolta has made the world shake a leg to his ‘Four Corners’ dance in Grease. At the 2014 IIFA, Travolta was ever-willing to display his classic ‘Staying Alive’ moves to audiences at Tampa, Florida. Hrithik Roshan joined the star for a quick impromptu performance.

Later in the evening, Priyanka Chopra surprised audiences when she unexpectedly got John on stage to dance to ‘Tune Maari Entriyaan’. Travolta effortlessly matched  Priyanka’s Bollywood thumkas to a standing ovation from actors Parineeti Chopra and Aditya Roy Kapur.

Kevin Spacey joins Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor for a quick ‘Lungi Dance’ Spacey took merely a few seconds to become one with the Thalaiva in him. Deepika guided Spacey through the whole dance number. His pelvic thrusts during the act were on point.

Dev Anand receives the 2003 IIFA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema The actor was his usual unabashed self on stage when Anil Kapoor introduced him. During his speech, Dev Anand appreciated Saif Ali Khan for the latter’s impersonation of him saying, “You just performed me on stage and one day you will do a film with me.” Saif’s spellbound reaction made everyone smile.

Ranveer singh and Arjun Kapoor enact famous scenes from Bollywood’s best movies in IIFA 2015 in Kuala Lumpur. Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor’s performance of several renditions of the final scene from Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge had the audience in splits. The two actors danced to flamboyant Prabhu Deva moves and transformed Simran and Bauji into rustic, foul-mouthed Anurag Kashyap characters. Their satirical take on the Abbas-Mustan version of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge had a series of hilarious twists and plot changes.

Anushka Sharma wows people with her performance at the 2015 IIFA Anushka’s sensuous moves to jazzy numbers like ‘Mohabbat Buri Bimari’ and ‘Girls Like to Swing’ reminded people of  Helen’s epic cabaret routines from the 1960s. While Anushka moved gracefully on stage in a shimmering golden dress, her dance was almost a tribute to Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi and Rekha, pioneers in Bollywood item numbers.

Rajesh Khanna’s riveting Lifetime Achievement Award speech at IIFA in 2009 The actor’s unforgettable performances in Anand, Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Haathi Mere Saathi and other films became such an influence to his generation, that the word ‘Superstar’ was coined for the first time in the Indian film industry solely in his honour. Khanna, in his speech, said that he took 40 years and 180 films to reach the stage he is at. “It was a long journey and I am grateful to IIFA,” he said. The actor turned to his ‘Babumoshai’ Amitabh Bachchan (who was presenting the honour) mid-speech and thanked him in a typical Amar Prem style. This immediately got a thundering applause from people. Khanna continued belting dialogues from his famous films to entertain the audience.

Ranveer Singh’s heartwarming moments with Deepika Padukone at IIFA Ranveer sweetly proposed to Deepika on stage at the 2015 IIFA, while Arjun Kapoor cracked wicked one-liners in the background. The audience, along with Deepika, were seen giggling at Singh’s self-deprecating jokes and shayaris. 

Deepika was quick to reciprocate Ranveer’s romantic overtures the very next year at Madrid. After a power-packed performance to songs like ‘Mohe Rang Do Laal’ and ‘Deewani Mastani’, she blew a kiss to Ranveer who was cheering her off-stage and gestured ‘I love you’.