NEW DELHI // Bollywood's biggest star, Amitabh Bachchan, wants his fans to enjoy a dry Holi and save water during the Hindu festival of colours because of a drought in western India.
Mr Bachchan said on his Facebook page yesterday that "I have expressed that we play a dry Holi without water." The 70-year-old actor known as "Big B" posted similar notes on his other social media accounts, which are followed by millions.
The Holi festival today is celebrated by playing with dry colours as well as coloured water.
Several districts in the western Indian state of Maharashtra face severe drought after receiving far less than their usual share of rain during last year's monsoon. Local residents say they are finding it difficult to get enough drinking water, and hundreds of cattle farmers have taken their animals to government-run camps for water and fodder.
Mr Bachchan has starred in more than 180 films since rising to stardom following his leading role in the 1973 film Zanjeer.
He is also the patriarch of what's known as Bollywood's first family. Wife Jaya Bachchan is an actress-turned-politician, while their son, Abhishek, is also an actor and married to Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
