Fans salute comedian Charlie Chaplin at festival in Gujarat town
April 23rd, 2010 - 6:46 pm ICT by ANIAdipur (Gujarat), Apr.23 (ANI): Believe it or not, fans in a town in Gujarat’s Kutch District have been holding a Charlie Chaplin festival for the past 37 years.
The 20th century silent movie legend is idolised in Adipur, where men, women and children dress up in Chaplin’s trademark moustache, bowler hat, suit and cane, reports The Sun. They waddle through the streets copying Chaplin’s bow-legged walk.
Hindu priests lead a ceremony of “worship” in front of a statue and a giant poster of the London-born star.
Locals then perform mimes and Bollywood versions of the score are blasted out from a cart as 1925 comedy The Gold Rush is shown.
The annual festival - on Chaplin’s birthday, April 16 - is the highlight of the year in Adipur.
It started in 1973 after chemist Ashok Aswani saw The Gold Rush overseas. He set up a fan club and began giving away Chaplin gear with medicines.
Now, the whole town loves his films. (ANI)
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Tags: 37 years, ashok, born star, charlie chaplin, chemist, comedian, fan club, giant poster, gold rush, gujarat, highlight, hindu priests, kutch district, locals, london born, medicines, men women, moustache, salute, silent movie