NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the Indian community in Moscow, called Russia a “trusted friend” and “India’s partner in both happiness and sorrow.” He also mentioned the famous Hindi song “Sar pe laal topi Rusi” in his speech, the iconic song of actors Raj Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty for boosting the ties between the two countries. “The song was once sung and heard in every household here — ‘Sir pe lal topi Rusi, phir bhi dil hai Hindustani.’ This song may have become old, but the emotions of the song is evergreen,” he said.
PM Modi was referring to the popular “Mera joota hai Japani” song from the 1955 Bollywood movie ‘Shree 420’. In the early 1950s, during the height of the “India-Rusi bhai bhai” theme, Raj Kapoor became a sensation in Russia. His movies, especially ‘Shree 420’ and ‘Awara,’ were some of the highest-grossing productions in Russia and are still shown on many cable networks, dubbed in Russian or with subtitles.
Raj Kapoor’s popularity also inspired a side story in Vikramaditya Motwane’s recent series ‘Jubilee,’ which highlights the Soviet Union’s deep interest in India’s film industry soon after independence.