MOROCCO: Indian Cinema proves a huge hit

Record ID: 380127

  • Title: MOROCCO: Indian Cinema proves a huge hit
  • Date: 5th December 2012
  • Summary: MARRAKECH, MOROCCO (DECEMBER 1, 2012) (REUTERS) THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ASSEMBLE IN DJEMMA EL FNA SQUARE A FAN HOLDING A 'I LOVE KING' SIGN SHAH RUKH KHAN ARRIVES ON STAGE AND BOWS TO THE AUDIENCE FANS CHEER (SOUNDBITE) (English) SHAH RUKH KHAN, SAYING: "I really want to bow my head down to everyone here in Marrakech for loving me so much." CLOSE UP SHAH RUKH KHAN SMILING FAN
  • Embargoed: 20th December 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Morocco
  • Country: Morocco
  • Reuters ID: LVA7PX2ERZF1D5MBYS0LPHID4YZR
  • Story Text: Despite not having a large Indian Diaspora, thousands of Moroccan fans gathered in the Djemaa El Fna Square outside the world famous souk in Marrakech to catch a glimpse of the Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, solidifying Indian Cinema's popularity in the region.
    Khan was in Morocco for the Marrakech film festival and he turned out to present a free open air screening of his film "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" as part of a homage to Hindi Cinema.
    The red carpet occurred just before the open air screening but the scenes of adulation were the same there for the Indian stars as they were in the Djemaa El Fna Square.
    Fans screamed and chanted for the 47-year-old actor, who paid reverence to the crowd by bowing to them on stage, and later showboating on a small wooden barrier in front of photographers.
    The Indian delegates at the festival for the homage to Hindi Cinema, which included the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan and Malaika Arora Khan, have all been surprised at the rise in popularity of their films in the region.
    "When I think of the crowds and the awards and the honours I don't take that as if that is what I work for. I just take it in my stride. I've never sat back and thought I'm important. I think I've always been really straight forward, down to earth and humble about the work I do and when all this happens it surprises me more than an outsider like you who is watching it. I'm like 'why are they loving me so much?' I have no idea. I think maybe the fact I have no idea why they love me is why they keep loving me," Shah Rukh Khan said in a n interview.
    Another Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan has also been surprised by the number of fans of Hindi cinema and the rise of its popularity in North Africa.
    "I would like to believe that it is the content of our films which is getting attractive for them. Most of our films deal with human emotions and human emotions are a very integral part of any human's life and to see it enacted on screen and to see its values come across and to be presented in a manner in the way that we do with the song and music and dance must be making it worthwhile for them to watch a film," Amitabh Bachchan said.
    The Marrakech Film Festival is now in its 12th edition and the Homage to Hindi Cinema red carpet was shared by other international names including Catherine Deneuve, Gemma Arterton and Monica Bellucci.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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