Bollywood returns to Egypt by Chennai Express

AFP/CairoCrowds of movie lovers cheered as Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s latest film Chennai Express screened in Cairo theatres, marking the return of Hindi cinema to Egypt after more than two decades. Men, women and college students applauded Khan’s comic timings and laughed when he punched the bad guys, clearly showing that the film’s Hindi language soundtrack is no barrier to Egyptians. “I love Shah Rukh Khan. I am so happy that I saw his movie in Cairo,” said a cheerful Mohamed Hamid who sells DVD films, as he emerged from Cairo’s Galaxy multiplex after watching the movie for the second time in as many days. Chennai Express has entered its second week in Egypt, screening in 10 cinema halls -eight in Cairo and two in Alexandria - after smashing box office records in India. It is the first of a “pipeline” of Bollywood films to be screened with Arabic subtitles in Egypt, distributors say. The film, which also stars popular actress Deepika Padukone, has become Bollywood’s biggest box office grosser, with earnings topping $30mn since its release in August, Indian film weeklies say. Khan himself is jubilant at the Egyptian response to his movie. “A big thanx to everyone in Egypt... I am made to understand u guys made the film go thru the roof of the pyramids ...!!!” the actor wrote on his Twitter account. DVD vendor Hamid, who has given himself the nickname Kabir Khan after a character played by the actor in his 2007 blockbuster Chak De India!, showed up to the film screening in a headband similar to one worn by Khan at a cricket match. He says he wants more Bollywood movies to be screened in Egypt. “Shah Rukh is the best, but we want to see movies of Amitabh Bachchan also,” said Hamid, referring to India’s legendary actor. Bachchan is a household name in Egypt, with fans ranging from taxi drivers to bankers fondly remembering his movies from the 70s and 80s when they dominated Egyptian theatres. His megahit Mard (Macho) was a huge success in the 80s in Egypt, ruling cinema halls for months. In 1987 the regime of now toppled president Hosni Mubarak put restrictions on Bollywood movies entering Egypt in order to protect the local film industry. Barring the occasional screening, Indian films disappeared from Egyptian theatres. The restriction was “one of the reasons” for the demise of Bollywood’s influence in Egypt, says Antoine Zeind, chairman of United Motion Pictures, the distributors of Chennai Express in Egypt. Cairo’s deadly violence and a night-time curfew imposed since August after a bloody security crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Mursi is no deterrence to Zeind. He plans to bring two other big budget Bollywood films: Kriish 3, the latest in the hit superhero franchise, and action-thriller Dhoom 3 - as soon as they are released in India. In the meantime he will continue screening Chennai Express, which theatre managers say is attracting audiences through word of mouth. Over the past few months Indian and Egyptian officials have worked on reviving the film distribution network between the two countries. “It was an odd situation ... Egyptians clearly love Indian films ... and yet, they couldn’t find their favourite Indian films on the big screen. That’s where we intervened to connect Egyptian distribution channels with Indian film producers,” said Navdeep Suri, Indian ambassador in Egypt.