Bollywood’s all-time movie megastar, Amitabh Bachchan, plugs (in his trademark baritone voice, in English) for economic dynamism and against protectionism in this remarkable public-service clip. Hat tip: Neera.

In other Bollywood news:

●Amitabh’s son, the popular actor Abhishek Bachchan, has announced his engagement to popular actress / beauty Aishwarya Rai. The Indian media are in a frenzy: think of Brad +Angelina to the power of three. Rai is best known in the West for her starring role in Bride & Predjudice.

●The Wall St. Journal is reporting that Abhishek’s and Aishwarya's new movie, Guru, is a paean to free trade:

Who would ever have thought that one of the villains of a Bollywood film could be import duty? "Guru," the latest Bollywood blockbuster by the respected director Mani Ratnam, is that rare film -- perhaps Bollywood's first -- in which free markets are lauded as a force for good. Aliens emerging from the Taj Mahal would be less surprising.

Yeah, back in the '70s when Amitabh was the "angry young man" of Bollywood, the hero he played was always fighting against the smugglers who were evading the stifiling restrictions of the Permit Raj. Mani Ratnam previously directed the highly recommended Bombay.

ADDENDUM: Hey, Guru is showing in St. Louis tonight! I'll provide a review tomorrow.