A feast for Bollywood-smitten Poles
Young Polish girls scream and whistle as Shah Rukh Khan comes on screen. Hrithik Roshan too charms his way into many hearts with his dance numbers…Bollywood madness has hit the Polish capital.
Smitten by Hindi films, Poles here are getting to feast on them at an outdoor Bollywood film festival in the Pole Mokotowskie Park through July and August.
British Airways is sponsoring a total of 10 weekly screenings, starting at 9.45 p.m. every Thursday. The festival has been organised jointly by the Indian embassy and the Polish Film Art Foundation.
“It is a novel experiment in attracting young Poles towards India. And so far the response has been very enthusiastic,” said Indian Ambassador Anil Wadhwa.
The festival is part of the “Summer Film Capital” series, which features both popular and lesser-known directors from around the world.
The Bollywood series has started with Karan Johar’s well-known film, “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham”, which was the first ever Indian movie to be dubbed into Polish two years ago. The film was a big success in Poland.
The festival is making movie-lovers come in large numbers, especially to see their heartthrob Shah Rukh who has become almost an iconic figure for Polish youth. The moment he comes on screen, young girls scream and keep whistling to express their joy.
Some Poles have also been charmed by Hrithik Roshan, who co-stars in the movie with Kareena Kapoor.
“Over the years Bollywood has become like a fast food item in Poland and the popularity it has gained is fantastic. Young Poles are attracted to the liveliness of the cinema, its exotic characters and the way it blends various genres,” remarked Janusz Krzyzowski, president of the India Polish Cultural Committee.
Soon “Baghban”, “Dil Chahta Hai”, “Karan Arjun”, “Pardes”, “Mukaddar Ka Sikandar”, “Refugee” and Raj Kapoor’s old classic “Boot Polish” will also be screened. Old generations still remember Kapoor’s “Aawara” and “Shri 420″, which were great hits in Eastern Europe in the 1950s.
— IANS
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