The actor also posed with the stars of upcoming Bollywood release “Players,” an adaptation of “The Italian Job.”
MUMBAI – Tom Cruise rounded off his two-day India visit Sunday night with a red carpet screening of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, held at an IMAX cinema in Mumbai.
Arriving in a motorcade of BMWs branded with the Ghost Protocol logo, Cruise – clad in a blue shirt and jeans — was greeted by screaming fans, with whom he spent almost two hours in between talking to the media.
“I love watching Hindi movies. There are many Hindi movies that come out every year but I do watch a few of them. (If offered a Bollywood film) I would never say no. I would love to do it,†the 49-year-old actor told reporters.
Ghost Protocol will release in India on Dec. 16 – including dubbed versions in Hindi and regional languages — distributed by Viacom18 Motion Pictures. Viacom18 is also promoting its upcoming Bollywood title Players, an adaptation of The Italian Job, directed by the brothers Abbas-Mastan and starring actors Abhishek Bachchan and Neil Nitin Mukesh and actresses Sonam Kapoor and Bipasha Basu.
Cruise posed with the Players cast on the red carpet for a Hollywood-meets-Bollywood moment drowned in a blaze of frenzied media flashbulbs.
Ghost Protocol also features a brief cameo by top Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, who accompanied Cruise throughout his India tour, including Saturday’s fleeting visit to the Taj Mahal.
Kapoor hosted an exclusive party Saturday night at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, where the handpicked 150-odd invitees included Bollywood celebrities such as superstar actor Aamir Khan, actresses Preity Zinta and Sonam Kapoor (Anil’s daughter), directors Shekhar Kapur, Farhan Akhtar and Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty (Slumdog Millionaire).
“What a gracious host Anil is & OMG! Tom used to be my heart throb in Top Gun!†tweeted Zinta. “Tom Cruise asked me why I was not making Mr India 2? A set up by Anil Kapoor I am sure,†tweeted Kapur.
Anil Kapoor’s upcoming projects include an Indian version of the hit Fox TV show 24 (in which he starred during its final season). When asked if Kapoor picked up any tips from Cruise’s Ethan Hunt for his turn as the Indian Jack Bauer, the 51-year-old actor said, “Of course, being in Ghost Protocol was an experience in itself and I am sure there is something I can learn from Ethan Hunt.â€
The Ghost Protocol screening was also graced by the film’s director Brad Bird and actress Paula Patton, who greeted everyone with the traditional Indian “namaste.”
“I have some idea of Bollywood films thanks to Anil Kapoor and I would love to work with (superstar actress and former Miss World) Aishwarya Rai,†Patton said.
Cruise was also entertained by a brief dance performance by top Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar’s troupe just before Ghost Protocol screened for the 1,500 guests and fans.
Ghost Protocol will see its world premiere Wednesday at the Dubai Film Festival, for which Cruise left Mumbai Sunday night.
