Kannada director Hemanth M Rao has publicly criticized the organizers of IIFA 2024, accusing them of mismanagement and causing inconvenience for attendees. Rao, nominated for his film Sapta Saagaradaache Ello - Side A, expressed his disappointment on social media after attending the awards ceremony held at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
Labeling the experience as "disrespectful," Rao highlighted that nominees and winners are typically flown in and hosted, which was the case for him and his music director, Charan Raj. However, despite being present until 3 AM, neither received any awards. While he acknowledged the achievements of other nominees, he voiced frustration over what he deemed a "complete waste of time." Tharun Sudhir took home the award for Best Director (Kannada) for Kaatera.
Rao stated, "The whole IIFA experience was such a massive inconvenience and extremely disrespectful. I've been in this business for over a decade, and this wasn't my first stint at award shows." He emphasized that the event should celebrate talent, not just the winners, and concluded on a positive note, expressing happiness for his colleagues who won awards.