Big B inaugurates ‘India by the Nile festival’ in Egypt

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 here.

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 organise the festival.

“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 Mr. Bachchan during a special reception hosted by the Indian Ambassador to Egypt Navdeep Suri at the India House to mark the formal opening of the annual cultural festival, which runs until April 17, 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,” Mr. Bachchan said.

“The festival will see music, dance, cuisine, conversations handicrafts, yoga, ayurveda and more,” Ambassador Suri said.

The ceremony was also attended by several high profile and well known Egyptian superstars.

Mr. Bachchan is set to visit the Pyramids on Tuesday and also be a part of a special session with noted film journalist and author Sidharth Bhatia at the Cairo Opera House.