Shah Rukh Khan recently promoted his film Pathaan in Dubai, with its trailer showing at the Burj Khalifa – and he’s also the city’s tourism brand ambassador.
Few days later, we saw actor Amitabh Bachchan inaugurating a football match as a chief guest.
In December 2022, Bollywood celebrities were seen visiting Jeddah for the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia – never saw that coming.
And last year, we saw a bunch of celebrities announce their 10-year Golden Visa for UAE.
But why has Bollywood suddenly become so much popular in the Middle East?
The middle east has always been obsessed and in love with Bollywood.
How do I know this? Because I grew up Kuwait !
Before the advent of glamourous multiplexes, we had a shoddy single screen theatre in Kuwait called Firdaus cinema, which was the only theatre that screened Hindi films.
That was a big deal at the time because there was a specific theatre dedicated to only Bollywood films and all films were screened there. Not just the big budget films.
But the infatuation didn’t stop there.
The local cable channel called Kuwait Television, or KTV used to air Hindi films every Friday (Thursdays and Fridays were weekends back then – Friday being equivalent to Sunday, a family day).
Our Friday ritual at home was to have biryani and tune into KTV 2, sometime between 3 and 6 pm, to watch a Hindi movie with Arabic subtitles.
And for the longest time the only films that were shown week on week were either 1992’s Khuda Gawah or 1988’s Shahenshah.
Not sure about Shahenshah, but the characters and backdrop of Khuda Gawah set in Afghanistan fascinated Arabs. And I think Amitabh Bachchan set the tone for all South Asian films in the region.
Any guesses who were the other male actors adored almost three decades ago?
The three Khans who ruled the industry in the 90s – Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan.
This was around the time of Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Mohabattein, Raja Hindustani, Kaho Na Pyaar Hai and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, when the Bollywood craze was at its peak.
Bollywood films became increasingly popular in the Middle East also because people resonated with the romance, relationships, drama, themes of family values, and action in the film as it was similar to their own culture. Also, the melodies, vibrant colours and beautiful actresses like Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi and many more brought the audience closer to Indian cinema.
My non-Indian friends were more clued in on Bollywood films, latest releases, and gossip more than me.
That reminds me of the time when I went to watch Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. There was some buzz of a special appearance around the time of its release but not many knew who the actor was and when to expect it in the film.
I remember sitting in the movie theatre, the film was inching towards the second half and we see it Anjali (Kajol’s) transformation. I was just excited to witness the new avatar of Anjali, but a Kuwaiti girl sitting next to me was beyond stoked with each passing frame.
She literally jumped at her seat, started cheering at the reveal and screamed “Salman KHAAANNNN”. She was so thrilled at that “hero entry”.
I vividly remember that moment because it was the first time I witnessed a non-South Asian thoroughly enjoying a Bollywood film.
Few years later, Kuwait also had its first Bollywood tour where celebrities like Salman khan, Karishma Kapoor and Kashmira Shah amongst other performed. Ahhh, it was magic!!
These days Bollywood films, or should I say South Asian films are mainstream in multiplexes all over the Middle East. So much so, that special promotional strategies are planned specifically for the Middle Eastern audience.
Apart from targeting the Arab and expat audience, there are few other reasons why a lot of films are shot in the Middle East, specifically Dubai.
The city offers several tax incentives for filmmakers including customs exemptions on film equipments and production materials so they can be imported easily, and also tax exemptions on production costs such as equipment rentals, hotel arrangements and even salaries.
Dubai also has a film fund that provides financing for local and international film productions along with state-of-the-art film studios and cost-effective post-production facilities that also helps makers reduce cost.
And needless to say, all this promotes tourism which further benefits the city’s growth.
Did you know there is a Bollywood theme park in Dubai called Bollywood Parks Dubai that features attractions, shows, and rides based on popular Bollywood films and franchises. It was created in partnership with several leading Indian entertainment companies, including Yash Raj Films, Rajshri Productions, and UTV Motion Pictures.
