Amitabh Bachchan inaugurates 'India by the Nile' festival in Egypt

Amitabh Bachchan inaugurates 'India by the Nile' festival in Egypt

Cairo: India's megastar Amitabh Bachchan inaugurated the third edition of the India by the Nile festival during a ceremony attended by the top crux of Egypt's diplomatic, social and business circle in Cairo.

The 72-year-old actor was excited about his three-day visit to the Egypt's capital and commended the Embassy of India and Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Egypt for their efforts to organize the festival.

The Egyptian Minister of Tourism Khaled Ramy welcomed Bachchan and said that cinema was one of the important ways to promote tourism.

"We are looking to attract producers to produce films in Egypt as arts and celebrities have a great impact in promoting tourism," said the minister

"The message of the festival is that we as Indians, friends of Egypt, recognize the crucial impacts of tourism on the Egyptian economy. India sends millions of tourists each year. And many Indians want to come to Egypt if they are rightly addressed," the Indian Ambassador to Egypt Navdeep Suri said.

"This is a very important festival as it is encouraging the cooperation and friendship that are exiting between the two cultures of both the countries," said Bachchan during a special reception hosted by the Indian Ambassador at the India House to mark the formal opening of the annual cultural festival, which runs until 17 April, on Monday evening.

"It is my fourth visit to this wonderful country. Every time I come to Egypt I feel as though I come home. Every time I have been here it has been such an experience. And that is the feeling I am going to carry home when I go back to India. I really want to thank the ambassador for conducting this very important festival and encouraging the co-operation and friendship that have existed between our two cultures and countries," Bachchan said.

Egypt witnessed the toppling over of two governments in three years which resulted in the decline in tourist footfalls as many countries issued advisories to their nationals against visiting it.

The festival (March 30 to April 17) will be inaugurated by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

In addition to screening Bachchan's films and holding interactive sessions with him, the festival will also promote yoga, Indian handicrafts and folk dances among the locals.

"The last two editions of the festival were very successful but this year we decided to rope in an icon to further boost the country's tourism," said Suri.

Egypt witnessed the toppling over of two governments in three years which resulted in the decline in tourist footfalls as many countries issued advisories to their nationals against visiting it.

The festival (March 30 to April 17) inaugurated by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

In addition to screening Bachchan's films and holding interactive sessions with him, the festival will also promote yoga, Indian handicrafts and folk dances among the locals.

"The last two editions of the festival were very successful but this year we decided to rope in an icon to further boost the country's tourism," said Suri.