My mother was born in Kolkata, grandad was doctor here: Orlando

Bloom, who has been invited to the country by the UP government, speaks about his India connect and meeting Sridevi.

Hollywood actor Orlando Bloom’s trip to India may have started on a bad note. Upon arrival on Saturday (December 19), he found out that his e-visa had been rejected, and was deported to the UK. However, the matter settled down after the External Affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, granted him a visa. On Sunday (December 20), the actor was seen striking a pose in front of the Taj Mahal in Agra (Uttar Pradesh).

Bloom, who has been invited to the country by the UP government, speaks about his India connect and meeting Sridevi. (MANOJ VERMA/HT PHOTO)

Later, he attended a party hosted by politician Amar Singh at the latter’s Delhi residence. Bloom admitted to being mesmerised by the historical monument. “We had a wonderful trip to Agra. I was so overwhelmed by its beauty,” he said.

Read: Orlando Bloom now visits Taj with Amar Singh

He added, “My mother was born in Calcutta (now known as Kolkata). My grandfather was a doctor in India. He had taken photos of the Taj Mahal from every possible angle. Over the years, I have looked at all of them. But nothing beats seeing the monument in real life. It makes you think what it must have taken to create such a marvel back then.”

Actor Orlando Bloom with former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh at the Taj Mahal in Agra, on Dec 20, 2015.

Accompanied by Sheetal Talwar, the producer of his upcoming film, Romans, Bloom has been invited by the Uttar Pradesh government to promote tourism in the state. Bloom added, “I want to explore the country without any media attention.”