“We have a lot of interest in Indian films,” President Putin

Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday praised ‘Bollywood’ and said that Indian films are most popular in the country in a media briefing ahead of the BRICS Summit.

On being asked if Russia will give incentives to BRICS member states for shooting films in the country, Russian President Putin said, “If we look at BRICS member states, I think in this country Indian films are most popular. We have a special TV channel with Indian movies being shown on it round the clock. We have a lot of interest in Indian films. We hold the BRICS film festival. This year Moscow International Film Festival introduces films from BRICS nations. We are positive that if Indian films are interested then we will find some common ground and promote them in Russia. Pharmaceuticals will also be a good undertaking. I am ready to talk to the Prime Minister of India and we will come to terms and there will be no difficulty…”

Putin said that he would talk to his ‘friend’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi about this proposal and was confident that the two would come to terms.

“I’m ready to talk with our friend, the Prime Minister of India when he arrives in Kazan. I’m sure we will come to terms 100 per cent. No difficulties, I observe there… It would be fascinating to see not only Indian films but those featuring BRICS countries’ actors representing their cultures, an Indian actor, a Chinese and Ethiopian actor. Well, you know, we discussed it with the colleagues from BRICS nations that we should organize a festival of theatrical art and we established the cinema academy,” he said.

Notably, Bollywood movies are very famous in Russia, as both societies are arguably similar, and their tastes too appeared to match – they loved a rags-to-riches story about the underdog and a clear division between good and evil. The highest-grossing Indian film in the erstwhile Soviet Union was Disco Dancer (1982), written by Rahi Masoom Raza and starring actor Mithun Chakraborty. In terms of footfalls, the only Indian films estimated to have sold 100 million tickets overseas were Awaara and Disco Dancer.

Raj Kapoor was already a known cultural figure in Russia. When his movie Awaara came out in 1951, it immediately became a buzz in Russia. Moreover, The images of distant fabulous India inspired Russian thinkers, poets, composers, and artists. The influence of cultures was mutual — the enormous spiritual influence that Leo Tolstoy had on the formation of the views of Mahatma Gandhi is well known.