Let¡¯s face it¡ Bollywood evokes some strong reactions. There are those of us who love to hate it with the over the top acting, implausible story lines and melodrama, prefer the more vanilla style of Hollywood. For others, no movie is complete without the melodrama. And it¡¯s not just Indians who love all the masala. Global audiences have been huge fans of the Indian film industry for decades and lapping up the song-and-dance sequences, emotional outpouring, and happy endings.
Did you know that Dangal smashed box office records in China, and that ¡®Uncle Khan¡¯ has a huge fan following amongst the Chinese. His previous films¡ª3 Idiots, Ghajini, Taare Zameen Par and PK¡ª also made waves in China, but Dangal witnessed unprecedented success with collections in excess of Rs 1,200 crores. Aamir Khan not only received tons of mail from his fans, some even paid him a tribute by dancing to this song.
(Read More:?Aamir Khan¡¯s ¡®Dangal¡¯ Takes China By Storm, Fans Dance On Uncle Khan¡¯s Song To Pay Him Tribute)
Bollywood is king in the Land of the Pharaohs and ?Egyptians have been showing their love for Indian movies since the 80s. They were such a rage that the government feared that local films would lose money and enacted restrictions on foreign films in order to boost the local industry.??
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However, television still showed Indian movies and Amitabh Bachchan the most popular star. Egyptians even protested to bring Indian films back to theatres, and local satellite channels took advantage of the situation. They replaced some of the Turkish dramas with Indian ones. Finally, 25 years after they were first banned, Bollywood movies made a triumphant return to theatres there.
Behind the quiet, polite, demeanour of the Japanese lies a rather unusual secret. Once the houselights dim in the theatre, they like nothing more than the swagger and over the top showmanship of our very own Thalaivaa. Rajnikanth danced his way into the hearts of the Japanese with Muthu in 1998. It also paved the way for other Indian movies
Rajinifans.com
Japan as well is gaga over Indian films, particularly Tamil films, and that too starring Rajinikanth. It all started with Rajinikanth¡¯s Muthu ¨C The Dancing Maharajah in 1998. The immense success of the movie paved way for other Indian films such as ?3 Idiots, Ek Tha Tiger, Don 2, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Dhoom: 3, English Vinglish, Ra One, Om Shanti Om and PK. Bollywood style dance classes are also all the rage with both men and women.
Shah Rukh Khan is to Poland what Rajnikanth is to Japan. With the release of?Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham?in 2005, he became a household name and people even know the lyrics to his songs and lines from several of his movies including Dil Se, Main Hoon Na and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.
deccanchronicle.com
The popularity of Bollywood movies in Poland is so major that a newspaper called Gazeta Wyborcza once included DVDs of Bollywood films with the paper to boost circulation.
Germany is considered the second-largest market in Europe for Bollywood films, and Shah Rukh Khan is the most recognised and followed Indian actor.
When Shah Rukh Khan¡¯s Don 2 was being shot in Berlin, a lot of fans had gathered outside his hotel in the freezing cold for just a glimpse of the superstar. Don 2 was such a huge success that it ran houseful most of the time.
Don¡¯t be surprised if you hear the strains of Challa on a street in Afghanistan. After all, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Hrithik Roshan are among the popular cinema stars in the country. ¡®Hindustani¡¯ movies, as the locals call them, are a big deal and their popularity dates back to the time of Dharmendra, Hema Malini and Abhitabh Bachchan.
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However, because of the strife there, movies don¡¯t officially release there anymore. The good news is that they are telecast on TV.
Nigeria may have given the world Emanuella in recent times, but long before the pint-sized video sensation started entertaining us, Nigerians were hooked onto Bollywood. From the 1960s, Indian movies have been making waves and Mother India was among the most popular Indian movie in the country. Nigerians are said to love older Hindi films more than the current ones, which they feel are trying to emulate Hollywood.
Once again, it¡¯s the Badshah who rules, with people in Peru often organising events in his name.What¡¯s more? A stage show in Lima was inspired by SRK¡¯s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and here¡¯s a glimpse of it:
People are also said to be fascinated by the festivities and culture of India they have seen in Bollywood films. Here¡¯s a glimpse into a Holi celebration in Lima:
Fun Fact: Did you know Shah Rukh Khan has a fan club in Peru. Check out here.?
Russia¡¯s love for Bollywood films dates back to the time of Raj Kapoor and this fascination continued for decades. Awaara was even dubbed in Russian and released in the country. The movie was the first successful Indian movie in country. ?Shah Rukh Khan is also hugely popular and his films such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Pardes,? Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho and Mohabbatein are all loved by the audiences there. Some pop music has also been inspired by Indian films. Take a look: