Amitabh Bachchan is a global star, but his craze and popularity in the 70s were unmatched. Not just in India, the actor gained immense fame in Egypt as well. But do you know that Amitabh Bachchan's films were banned in the country for quite some time, and the reason will surprise you.
Why were Amitabh Bachchan's movies banned in Egypt?
The Egyptian government temporarily restricted or banned Indian films in the 1980s. This action was taken to protect the struggling domestic film industry in the country as Amitabh Bachchan attracted a massive crowd, leaving local theatres empty.
What did people in Egypt do after the ban on Amitabh Bachchan's movies?
Despite the ban, people did not stop watching Amitabh Bachchan's movies. Films like Mard, Sharaabi, and Giraftaar were played illegally in several small theatres.
In a 1995 interview with India Today, Amitabh Bachchan recalled the chaos that occurred when he visited Egypt as many people arrived to see him. "The crowds came into the customs hall. Would you believe that immigration formalities took place in my hotel room in Cairo? There was a national crisis. There was an inquiry on what went wrong – how did a third-rater from a third-rate country get this to happen,” he recalled.
In a blog post almost 20 years later, he also shared that his film Mard ran in theatres for two years. “Mard, I am told ran for 2 years here in Egypt, despite strict rulings on exhibition of foreign films, and because of its cult standing, there is a large number that recognises and adulates moi,” he revealed.
“The first time in the history of any airline traveller, my immigration, customs and passport were conducted in my hotel room," he added.
How did the Egyptian government honour Amitabh Bachchan?
In 2001, the megastar was officially awarded the title of "Actor of the Century". His movies are still shown at the India by the Nile festival.