Train passengers and workers with origins in India and elsewhere in Asia could scarcely believe their eyes when they heard the announcement at the Leeds City train station: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the train now arriving at platform 8 is carrying a top movie star.”

The star was none other than Amitabh Bachchan, who was visiting Yorkshire to promote and catch up with arrangements for the International India Film Academy (IIFA) awards from June 7 to 11.


Soon, a small crowd gathered around Bachchan’s train from London King’s Cross. After the excitement settled down, he was quickly ushered through the station and out via a side entrance into a chauffeur-driven Bentley.

The IIFA is scheduled to be held in Yorkshire and local press promoting the event gushed that if the reaction to Bachchan’s visit from the adoring public in Leeds last week was anything to go by, “the county is in for the time of its life”.

Mubarak Khalifa, a 30-year-old cleaner at the Leeds station, was among those who had turned out to greet Bachchan. He said: “I can’t believe I’ve just seen him in the flesh. It’s amazing, really amazing, to have him here in Leeds.”

Later sweeping across Leeds, Bachchan combined the famous baritone with characteristic modesty and courtesy, and charmed one and all at the Leeds Civic Hall where he addressed a gathering of nearly 200 politicians, business leaders and others.

Moved by the warmth of his reception, Bachchan said: “I am so happy with the hospitality, love and affection shown to all of us by the people of Yorkshire. It has been deeply emotional and I will carry that back with me to my country.”

Speakers at the event included the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Mohammed Iqbal, who confessed to feeling more than a little starstruck. He said he had been a huge fan of Bachchan for many years.

Iqbal said: “I never thought I would welcome my icon, everybody’s icon, to Leeds.”