When Bollywood star Mithun’s amazing craze was seen in Russia, even the Prime Minister had to cancel the rally.

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a visit to India and during this meeting, once again the discussion on India-Russia cultural relations has intensified. Not only the political friendship between the two countries, but also the Russian audience’s love for Bollywood films has persisted for decades. Many Indian stars gained popularity there, but the artist who took the hearts of the Russian public by storm was none other than Bollywood’s disco king Mithun Chakraborty.

Bollywood craze in Russia

The craze for Indian films in Russia is not new. From Raj Kapoor to modern films, Bollywood has worked its magic here many times. But the influence of Mithun Chakraborty was seen more than that of other stars. His popularity had increased to such an extent that the Prime Minister of Russia had to cancel his political rally because at the same time the public had gathered to get a glimpse of Mithun.

‘Disco Dancer’ created history

The film Disco Dancer, released in 1982, created a stir not only in India but from Japan to Russia. The songs from the film, especially “Jimmy Jimmy, Aaja Aaja”, are still played as a popular tune in Russia. Mithun’s dance moves and his style settled in the hearts of Russian youth.

When this film was released in Russia, the people there gave Mithun the status of superstar. When he reached Russia, a crowd of thousands surrounded him. His popularity, especially among Russian girls, was at an extraordinary level.

PM had to cancel the rally

An interesting incident is often remembered. According to IMDB, Mithun’s popularity had increased so much that on the day he reached Russia, the Russian Prime Minister’s rally scheduled at the same time had to be canceled due to the crowd of people. People were more excited to see Mithun and dance to his songs rather than going to the rally.

Indian songs sung in Russian language

Many songs of Mithun were sung by Russian artists in their own style. Many Russian versions of “Jimmy Jimmy” continue to go viral on social media even today. This proves how deep the influence of Indian music and Bollywood is in Russia.