Now, Bollywood brought to you in real life

If Bollywood films can be merchandised, why not Bollywood films' awards nights? The International Indian Film Academy, which hosts the IIFA awards in various cities around the world, is launching a line of Bollywood souvenirs under the brand name "IIFA Bling".

The women's wear range of the brand, called "IIFA Bling for BIBA" after the alliance with BIBA, the Indian women's ethnic wear brand, was the first to be rolled out on Tuesday at a shop-in-shop at the BIBA stores at the Amby Mall in Gurgaon and the Oberoi mall in Goregaon, Mumbai, which have been newly decked out with special filmy sets, LCD monitors and film memoribilia.

It includes a range designed by Vikram Phadnis (there'll be more designers, established and fresh, joining him soon), but by end-April there'll be a line on Bhootnath, the BR Chopra production which releases next month.

According to Sabbas Joseph of Wizcraft International, which has been organising the IIFA Awards since 2000, IIFA Bling will include several luxury lines like jewellery, accesories, rare posters and even hosiery.

"IIFA has built a very strong brand equity over the years, especially outside India. If the Oscars and BAFTA can do it, why not Bollywood? Even Live Earth, which was a one-night affair, spun off T-shirts, posters, badges," he says.

"Besides the film awards, IIFA organises world premiers of films. It helps the promotion and distribution of Indian films in new territories, the setting up of film funds, filming in foreign countries. There are road-shows with film stars. There is also the FICCI-IIFA global forum."

Although Joseph refuses to name figures, it's clearly big money, with revenue accruing from television rights (last year, the IIFA awards were watched by 600 million people in 110 countries), sponsrships, associate sponsorships, partnerships and the like.

In the international market, the IIFA Bling for BIBA line will be available in Thailand, to cash in on the hype built during the IIFA Awards which will be held in Bangkok in June. "We're at an advanced stage of talks with the Central retail chain in Thailand," says Gautam Bindra, managing director of BIBA. "In the United Kingdom, IIFA has been in touch with Harrods which has expressed keen interest."

The Bollywood-crazy NRI crowd is clearly in focus, with the Middle East, Asia and Africa targetted for expansion. An online portal, iifabuzz.com, will also be unveiled at the awards, says Joseph.

BIBA, which closed last month with revenues of Rs 85 crore, has been into Bollywood merchandising since 2002. "We have done Rs 20 crore of business from one product alone "" a white dress that Esha Deol wore in Na Tum Jaano Na Hum.

We make it in size XXL too," laughs Bindra. For the company, the Bollywood merchandising business will come under the IIFA Bling for BIBA line which, starting at Rs 1,495 and going up to Rs 18,000, are at price points significantly higher than BIBA's usual range.

But will it work? Avisha Wadhera, vice president, sales and marketing, Carving Dreams Entertainment, which brokered the deal between BIBA and IIFA, is keeping her fingers crossed.

"Bollywood producers have until now looked at merchandising as a marketing tool, not as a revenue stream. Only with films like Krissh whose tie-up with Pantaloons ensured a strong distribution network did it work. Thankfully, BIBA's is very strong in this," she says.

But the questions remains, will the Indian consumer bite?