Saheer Hejmadi has become one of the most recognizable voices coming out of Dubai's entertainment scene, and if you have caught a radio spot, a brand campaign, or a dubbed project floating around the UAE lately, there is a real chance his voice was behind it. Billed on his own channel as the best voice actor in Dubai, he has spent years sharpening a craft that most people never think about until they hear it done right.
Beyond the booth, Hejmadi also works as a social media manager, giving him a front row seat to how stories get told and how brands connect with people across the region. That double life, part performer and part strategist, is exactly why Lovin Dubai sat him down for a feature, spotlighting how he turned his voice into an actual career instead of a side hobby. It is the kind of resume that explains why he was in the room for one of the most talked about entertainment nights of the year.
Saheer Hejmadi Shows Up For The IIFA Insider Night
The energy at the IIFA Insider event was the kind you feel the second you walk through the door, and Hejmadi was right there soaking it in. This was not a quiet industry mixer where people stand around checking their phones. It was loud, it was warm, and it had that unmistakable buzz that only happens when a room full of entertainment people know something big is coming. For someone whose entire career runs on reading a room and connecting with an audience, it was the perfect setting, and he leaned into it the whole night.
The Night IIFA Announced Its Return To Abu Dhabi
Here is the headline everyone in that room was celebrating. The International Indian Film Academy Weekend and Awards is heading back to Abu Dhabi for its twenty seventh edition, landing on Yas Island for two days on January 22 and 23. It marks the fourth time the emirate has hosted the ceremony, and this time the ambition is bigger than ever.
Andre Timmins, the founder and driving force behind IIFA, put it plainly when he said the goal for this edition is bigger stars, bigger experiences, and fan engagement that stretches far past the arena itself. That is not marketing fluff either. Etihad Arena is set to host two full days of performances, star arrivals, and the kind of spectacle that Indian cinema fans wait all year for, and the room at the Insider event felt every bit of that anticipation.
A Standout Moment With Abdu Rozik
One of the highlights of the evening for Hejmadi was spending real time with Abdu Rozik, the Tajik singer whose infectious energy has made him a genuine favorite across the region. Rozik built his name through his music long before reality television ever entered the picture, and his run on Bigg Boss brought him to an entirely new audience that fell for his charm instantly.
Since then he has stepped into a boxing ring for his debut fight and launched his own restaurant brand, proving there is a lot more to him than a viral moment. Hanging out with someone whose personality fills a room the way Rozik's does made for one of those nights you do not forget, and Hejmadi got to experience that firsthand.
Saheer Hejmadi Gets A Compliment From IIFA's Andre Timmins
Then came the moment that really made the night for him. Andre Timmins, the man responsible for growing IIFA into the global spectacle it is today, took a second to actually stop and talk with Hejmadi. In an industry where a quick handshake and a photo is usually the extent of the interaction, Timmins went out of his way to compliment how sharp and well groomed his mustache looked.
It sounds like a small thing on paper, but anyone who has spent time around major entertainment figures knows those little personal touches are rare, and they stick with you. For Hejmadi, getting that kind of genuine, individual attention from someone steering an awards show of this scale said a lot about the tone of the entire evening. It was not stiff or corporate. It was personal, it was warm, and it set the mood for everything that followed.
The IIFA Fever Is Only Getting Started
Walking away from the Insider night, one thing was obvious. January cannot come fast enough. With Etihad Arena getting ready to host two days of star power, performances, and the kind of energy that only IIFA can bring, Abu Dhabi is about to turn into the center of the entertainment world all over again.
For Hejmadi, the night was a reminder of why he loves being part of this industry in the first place, the people, the unexpected conversations, and the moments that remind you this world is a lot smaller and a lot friendlier than it looks from the outside. If this Insider event was any indication of what is coming, IIFA 2027 in Abu Dhabi is shaping up to be one for the books, and the countdown has officially begun.
