Bollywood glitz met Hollywood glamour at the 15th Annual International Indian Film Academy's Weekend & Awards April 23-26 in Tampa. It was the first time the IIFA extravaganza, known to fans as the Bollywood Oscars, was held in the United States. It was expected to draw 30,000 local visitors and $11 million to the Tampa Bay area. An Indian TV crew was on hand to document Bollywood stars exploring the Tampa Bay area and to capture the awards show April 26 in Raymond James Stadium for a special, titled 'Weekend with IIFA,' to be broadcast worldwide June 8 on the Star World Network and is expected to draw 800 million viewers in 110 countries.
During the four days of events, Bollywood stars spent time cycling, speedboating, paddleboarding, shopping and generally enjoying the Tampa Bay area. Stage and screen star Kevin Spacey ("House of Cards," "American Beauty") conducted a master class on acting and then donned a lungi (sarong) to dance to a song from the movie "Chennai Express" at the awards spectacular. Hollywood icon John Travolta held forth on his love for Bollywood films at a press conference before accepting a career achievement award and performing his famous dance moves from "Pulp Fiction" at the awards show.
And it all ended with a big, beautiful bang of color, music, dance and drama in Raymond James Stadium. Visit the IIFA website to find a list of awards winners and other information about the Weekend and Awards. Here's a look at some of the images captured during the colorful whirlwind of IIFA events:
-- By Kati Schardl for VISIT FLORIDA
Fans crowd together for a selfie with Bollywood superstar Anil Kapoor (best known to American audiences as the game show host in 'Slum Dog Millionaire') after he arrives April 22 at Tampa International Airport for the 2014 IIFA Weekend & Awards. Photo by Daniel Wallace for Tampa Bay Times
Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone arrives April 22 at Tampa International Airport April for the IIFA Weekend & Awards. Photo by Skip O'Rourke for Tampa Bay Times
Dancers from Odissi Dance Academy in Tampa perform during the IIFA Stomp event April 23 at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in Tampa. Photo by Eve Edelheit for Tampa Bay Times
Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor takes the ball from Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Cesar Ramos to throw out the ceremonial first pitch April 23 at Tropicana Field. Kapoor was one of many Bollywood celebrities in Tampa for the International Indian Film Academy's Weekend & Awards events. Photo by Will Vragovic for Tampa Bay Times
Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan greets fans after arriving at Tampa International Airport April 24 to attend the 2014 Bollywood Oscars in Raymond James Stadium. Roshan is billed as 'one of the world's greatest dancers' and the main awards show's biggest performer. Photo by Kent Nishimura for Tampa Bay Times
When fans weren't staking out spots to glimpse their favorite Bollywood stars at IIFA's Weekend & Awards in Tampa, they were shopping for clothing, jewelry and other goods at vendors such as Prerana's Boutique at the IIFA Expo. Photo by James Borchuck for Tampa Bay Times
The first splashy, celebrity-studded event of IIFA's Bollywood Oscars weekend in Tampa was IIFA Rocks, which included a green-carpet parade of beautiful people and then a runway march of models and stars in a fashion show. Some of the most enthusiastic applause went to actor Anil Kapoor, best known to American audiences for his role as the game show host in 'Slumdog Millionaire.' Photo by Peter W. Cross/VISIT FLORIDA
Bollywood star Vanni Kapoor smiles for the paparazzi on the green carpet at the IIFA Rocks event. Photo by Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA
Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra and actress Sonakshi Sinha were greeted with thunderous applause at IIFA Rocks. Photo by Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA
From left, musician Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, actress Sonakshi Sinha, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, actor Stephen Baldwin, Visit Tampa Bay President Santiago Corrada and Bollywood star Anil Kapoor dance to the tune of 'Do Da Tampa' after an IIFA press conference at the Hilton in downtown Tampa. Photo by James Borchuck for Tampa Bay Times
Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, an experienced diver, talks about sharks April 24 with an Indian TV crew in front of the 500,000-gallon coral reef saltwater tank at the Florida Aquarium. Photo by Saundra Amrhein for VISIT FLORIDA
Bollywood actor and producer Dia Mirza was dressed for paddle-boating not stand-up paddleboarding, but she happily made the most of it for 'Weekend With IIFA,' a television special connected to the 2014 IIFA awards weekend in Tampa. Mirza and host Gaelyn Mendonca absorbed a few lessons from Mike Conlee of UrbanKai Stand-Up Paddleboarding, then conducted an interview while paddling Davis Islands Harbor. Mirza, a former Miss India and now a Bollywood producer, is well-known in her native country for her work with social causes - AIDS, the physically handicapped and the plight of Bengal Tigers. She delayed her trip to Tampa until the last moment so she could vote in a national election. Photo by Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA
Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra joined fellow star Nakuul Mehta to film a speedboating segment in St. Petersburg for a television special, 'Weekend With IIFA,' that's connected to the 2014 'Bollywood Oscars' show April 26 in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium. Malhotra, 29, who has been named one of India's most desirable men and is one of Bollywood's hottest young actors, toured the Tierra Verde waterways in small boats that could go up to 30 mph. Photo by Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA
Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone and TV actor Karan Tacker pedaled along the downtown Tampa waterfront to film a segment for the Indian TV special 'Weekend with IIFA' about the International Indian Film Academy's awards weekend and show in Tampa. Padukone went on to be named Entertainer of the Year and Best Female Lead Actor for her role in 'Chennai Express.' Photo by Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA
Fans crowded the sidewalks and even took to the trees to catch a glimpse of their favorite Bollywood and Hollywood stars before Saturday's IIFA awards show at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by James Borchuck for Tampa Bay Times
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, sporting a formal take on the Indian Nehru jacket, and wife Catherine Lynch Buckhorn talk to the media as they make their way down the green carpet to the IIFA awards show April 26 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by James Borchuck for Tampa Bay Times
Fans, including a John Travolta aficionado holding up a copy of the 'Saturday Night Fever' album, jostle to catch a glimpse of their favorite Hollywood and Bollywood stars April 26 on the green carpet leading to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by James Borchuck for Tampa Bay Times
Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra shares a laugh with Hollywood star John Travolta on the green carpet April 26 at the IIFA awards in Tampa. Photo by James Borchuck for Tampa Bay Times
Kevin Spacey, one of America's top actors, on the green carpet with Deepika Padukone at Saturday's IIFA awards, aka the Bollywood Oscars. Padukone went on to be named Entertainer of the Year and Best Female Lead Actor for her role in 'Chennai Express.' Photo by Kevin McGeever for VISIT FLORIDA
Hollywood, TV and stage star Kevin Spacey talks to the media on the green carpet of the 15th International Indian Film Academy Awards April 26 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. He would later don a lungi and join Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone onstage to dance to a hit song from her film 'Chennai Express.' Photo by Kent Nishimura for Tampa Bay Times