Mumbai: Actor Shah Rukh Khan on Tuesday thanked US President Barack Obama for naming him in his speech as an icon of an inclusive India along with former Olympian Milkha Singh and boxer Mary Kom.
“Proud 2 b part of the gender & religion equality speech of Pres. Obama. Sad he couldn’t do the Bhangra…next time Chaiyya Chaiyya for sure,” SRK tweeted, referring to Obama’s regret that he and First Lady Michelle Obama could not shake a leg during their trip the way they did with children in Mumbai in 2009.
Proud 2 b part of the gender & religion equality speech of Pres. Obama. Sad he couldn’t do the Bhangra…next time Chaiyya Chaiyya for sure
&; Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 27, 2015
“In my last visit we danced with some children and celebrated the festival of lights. I apologise for not being able to schedule a dance this time,” Obama said in a farewell speech at New Delhi’s Siri Fort auditorium before ending his three-day trip on a stirring note.
In his speech, Obama made two references to SRK, first while apologising for not being able to dance by saying in broken Hindi, “Senorita, bade bade deshon mein… you know what I mean,” he said, followed by a loud cheer from the 2000-strong audience.
As for the rainy day yesterday, as you yourself said @WhiteHouse today morning, Bade Bade Deshon Mein… 🙂
&; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 27, 2015
The line is from Khan’s iconic Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, which has the distinction of being screened in a Mumbai theatre for a non-stop 19 years. In further boost to the film, PM Narendra Modi also used the same dialogue in his farewell tweet to Obama.
In his Siri Fort speech, the US President went on to make another reference to King Khan when he said India should celebrate its religious diversity represented by icons from various fields like him, Mary Kom and Milkha Singh.
