A video of young Russian cadets singing the tunes of Mohammed Rafi’s "Aye watan, aye watan, humko teri kasam" from the 1965 Bollywood movie ‘Shaheed’ has won the internet over.
Twitter is abuzz with this heartwarming video, where along with these young Russian cadets, Brigadier Rajesh Pushkar, the Military Advisor at the Indian Embassy in Moscow, can also be seen swaying to this old patriotic song. The video is being appreciated for the sense of comradeship it evokes.
Bollywood and Russia have shared a close bond, dating back to its Soviet Union days. During the 1950s, Raj Kapoor was in fact a household name, and was the face of Indian cinema for many generations of Russians.
USSR’s troubling times paved way for Bollywood movies to perform well in the region as they offered the people an escape from the daily drudgery. The extravagant and larger-than-life Bollywood productions echoed optimism in the hearts of the Soviet audiences. Additionally, the political ties between India and Russia also helped facilitate a cultural exchange between the two countries.
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