Pankaj Tripathi Says He’ll Be ‘More Ghost Than Host’ at IIFA 2027
Pankaj Tripathi will make his hosting debut at the IIFA Digital Awards 2027 in Abu Dhabi on January 22, and he plans to bring a spiritual, soft-spoken energy to the stage.
Pankaj Tripathi has made a career out of saying more with less. Now the Mirzapur star is stepping into one of the loudest jobs in show business: awards-show host.
The actor will make his hosting debut at the IIFA Digital Awards 2027, set for Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on January 22, 2027. He will not be alone. His Mirzapur co-stars Ali Fazal and Abhishek Banerjee will share the stage with him.
The 26th edition of IIFA returns to Abu Dhabi as a two-day celebration: the digital awards on January 22 and the main ceremony on January 23.
Hosting anxiety, Pankaj-style
At the IIFA 2027 press conference in Mumbai, Tripathi was frank about the nerves. He said he is not used to hosting, speaks softly and slowly, and has watched other hosts shout to hold the room. “I am very scared… who will listen to my soft speech there,” he admitted.
“I will make my hosting feel spiritual… I will be more of a ghost than a host.”
That line, delivered with his usual deadpan, reframes his anxiety as a creative choice. Instead of trying to match the high-energy style of a typical awards host, he wants to make the evening feel almost meditative. He joked that the audience’s lives might change by the end of it.
The Mirzapur reunion gets a victory lap
The hosting gig lands while the trio is still enjoying the afterglow of Mirzapur The Movie. Ali Fazal told the media that the film collected in excess of Rs 200 crore at the domestic box office. “We managed to bring a few people to the theatres with our film Mirzapur,” Fazal said.
Abhishek Banerjee has hosted the IIFA Awards twice, and Fazal has previous experience at the event. That leaves Tripathi as the newcomer, and Fazal made a show of welcoming him to the stage for a warm-up.
IIFA 2027 at a glance
- IIFA Digital Awards: January 22, 2027, at Etihad Arena — hosted by Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Abhishek Banerjee.
- Performances: Himesh Reshammiya and Sunidhi Chauhan.
- Main IIFA Awards: January 23, 2027 — hosted by Karan Johar, Varun Dhawan, Ananya Panday and Maniesh Paul.
- Where to watch: The event will be livestreamed on YouTube.
Why this debut matters
Awards shows in India tend to run on volume, banter and a certain slickness. Tripathi’s instinct is the opposite. If he keeps his soft-spoken promise, the IIFA Digital Awards could feel different from the usual trophy-night energy — quieter, slower and unexpectedly personal.
It also gives the digital ceremony its own identity before the main awards, with a lineup that places streaming favourites at the centre.
What to watch for
The dynamic between the three Mirzapur stars is likely to be a highlight. Banerjee and Fazal have enough hosting mileage to steer the night, while Tripathi’s quiet, deadpan reactions could provide the moments that travel on social media. If he truly leans into his “ghost” persona, expect memes as much as monologues. The YouTube livestream makes the evening easy to follow from anywhere.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com
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