Bollywood fever is sweeping Africa's political capital, with a week-long festival of 14 films, including blockbusters like Sholay and 3 Idiots, enthralling cinegoers.

Soft power of soap operas Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi... and a hospital and a road would supposedly transform the country into an Indian state–never mind the fact that Bharat does not have a contiguous border with Afghanistan and never mind the fact that the Afghans (with or without the Taliban) are ferociously Anti-Indian and vociferously Anti-Hindu...

The name 'Amitabh Bachchan' does more for India abroad than other known symbols of India's soft power such as the Taj Mahal, curry or the Kama Sutra, according to Rachel Dwyer, an expert on Indian cinema and culture.

Cannes celebrated Bollywood with the midnight screening of a specially prepared montage of great moments in Hindi musical cinema."Bollywood: The World's Greatest Love Story" was put together to make up for a perennial dearth of Indian films in competition at the world's biggest film event.

We are thrilled to bring some of Hollywood's master storytellers to India to learn from India's long, rich history of storytelling," said Sandra de Castro Buffington, Director of Hollywood, Health & Society. "We know that they will be creatively and personally inspired by what they see and learn while in this extraordinary country.

India's strength does not lie with its nuclear weapons or its missiles or the size of its armed forces. India real strength lies with the IT, its culture, its civilization and its vibrant democracy. Today, India's soft power is everywhere, in every nook and corner of the world and you see India through its dance, through its music, though its food...

Over these long years Indians have perfected many cultural attributes that may be appealing to the rest of the world - what Joseph Nye likes to call 'soft power’. Some good examples of Indian soft power are Yoga, Bollywood, Ayurveda and the great Indian cuisine (including curry and chicken tikka).

India is an ancient civilization with five thousand years of recorded history. Over these long years Indians have perfected many cultural attributes that may be appealing to the rest of the world - what Joseph Nye likes to call 'soft power’. Some good examples of Indian soft power are Yoga, Bollywood, Ayurveda and the great Indian cuisine (including curry and chicken tikka).