FROM dancing with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan to asking Indians to call him “Jack Bhai”, Australian actor Hugh Jackman charmed a packed gathering of media leaders in Mumbai on Friday (March 25).
Jackman, who is in Mumbai to attend the final day of the three-day media convention FICCI Frames, shared the dais with Shah Rukh Khan and director Karan Johar, and proclaimed himself as a huge fan of the two and of Bollywood.
“Maybe one day Karan could direct a movie, based in Mumbai, called ‘My Name is Jackman’, and I am not a tourist,” he joked, referring to the line from Johar’s 2010 film “My Name is Khan” and its tagline “I’m not a terrorist”.
Khan, who said he was inspired to make his forthcoming sci-fi super hero film “Ra.One” because of Jackman’s roles in “X-Men” and “Wolverine”, even taught the Australian how to dance, Bollywood style, as the two actors twirled around and shook their hips on stage to the loud cheering of the audience.
Known for his roles in movies like “The Prestige” and “Wolverine”, and a recipient of People magazine's “Sexiest Man Alive” tag, Jackman arrived in Mumbai on Thursday (March 24) with wife Deborra Lee-Furness.
While chatting with Johar on stage, the 42 year-old actor said the world was beginning to notice the huge potential of the Indian market and major studios in Hollywood had their eye on the country.
“I think there is such a huge market here that studios are keeping an eye on what Indians like. India is a film-loving country and America is a film-loving country and I am sure they will find their common ground,” he said.
Khan himself said he was keen to collaborate on a project with Hollywood, saying “it is my dream to make a film that the whole world will watch”.
