Bollywood a big draw in Tajikistan: minister

New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Bollywood, with its colourful cinema and lavish song-and-dance sequences, is a big draw in Tajikistan, Tajik minister of culture Asrori Mirzoshokhrukh has said.

'Stars like Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Hema Malini and Dharmendra are very popular in Tajikistan,' Mirzoshokhrukh said Wednesday at the inaugural function of the six-day 'Day of Culture: Of the Republic of Tajikistan in India'.

The vibrant colours and the ethnic culture of the landlocked mountainous republic of Tajikistan, a nation in central Asia adjoining Afghanistan, came to life at the programme.

The festival is a joint initiative by the Indian Council For Cultural Relations and the Ministry of Culture, Republic of Tajikistan.

'Works of several Indian authors and literary legends like Rabindranath Tagore and Munshi Premchand are being translated in the Tajik language and the national museum of Tajikistan has many Indian antiques and icons,' the minister said.

A highlight of the festival is the 'Shashmaqom', a rendition of the 1,000-year-old traditional musical art that is a fusion of the 12 Maqoms (styles) of the Tajik-Persian school of music.