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2011: Hollywood's romance with India
Tom Cruise came to promote MI4. Lady Gaga performed at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix. Paris Hilton launched her new fashion line here. The love affair between India and Hollywood reached new heights in 2011.
The love affair between India and Hollywood boosted by the Oscar win of Slumdog Millionaire reached new heights in 2011 with global names from the entertainment industry touching base in the country.
Movie bigwig Tom Cruise and pop sensation Lady Gaga came exploring a new fan base, chanting the cliched "I love India" to woo their growing audience here.
Being the first mainstream Hollywood actor to have come to India especially for the premiere of his film Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Cruise was in Mumbai with leading lady Paula Patton and met Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor who has done a cameo in the much awaited action thriller.
It was a whirlwind trip for Cruise but the 49-year-old has reportedly promised to be back soon with wife Katie Holmes and daughter Suri for a holiday.
Grammy-winning singer Gaga was here in October to perform at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix and promote her new album Born This Way. Unlike other international names, she did not put on an elusive act and tried her best to interact with the media and her fans, despite her performance being an exclusive event, tickets of which were priced as high as Rs 40,000.
India seemed to be a good market to enter for US socialite Paris Hilton as well, who, other than being an heiress to the famous chain of Hilton hotels, is the owner of a number of other businesses. The 30-year-old model and entrepreneur was in Mumbai to a launch handbags and accessories range under her label Paris Hilton Entertainment.
And she admitted her love for all things Indian, including sarees and jewellery, calling the country a "spiritual and magical" place.
