New
Delhi
(UNI):
His
has
been
a
largely
unsung
journey,
from
a
humble
middle
class
background
to
being
one
of
the
topmost
stars
on
the
Bollywood
skyway.
Notwithstanding
his
memorable
performances
over
the
years
in
Woh
Saat
Din,
Eeshwar,
Mr
India,
Tezaab,
Ram
Lakhan,
Taal,
Calcutta
Mail,
Musafir
and
Chocolate,
media
limelight
has
always
eluded
Bollywood
star
Anil
Kapoor.
Infact,
despite
being
among
the
top
rung
of
stars
all
through
the
80s
and
the
90s,
the
period
when
an
"Amitabh
Bachchan
wave" swept
through
Bollywood,
Anil
Kapoor
has
always
preferred
to
maintain
a
low
profile,
instead
letting
his
work
do
all
the
speaking.
The
recent
weeks
have,
however,
seen
this
"media
shy"
actor
suddenly
catapulted
into
International
limelight.
The
actor
was
last
month
appointed
as
a
global
ambassador
for
South
Africa.
The
appointment
of
Anil
Kapoor
as
South
Africa's
Global
ambassador
was
made
by
South
Africa
Tourism
at
a
function
in
the
last
week
of
March.
A
clearly
overwhelmed
Anil
Kapoor
said
the
honour
was
an
extremely
humbling
experience
for
him.
Earlier,
in
February,
Anil
kapoor
was
publicly
felicitated
by
South
Africa's
president
Thobo
Mbeki
on
the
occasion
of
the
country's
national
day,
a
rare
honour
for
a
Bollywood
actor.
In
a
speech
in
South
African
Parliament,
Mr
Mbeki
said
his
country
was
honoured
to
have
Anil
Kapoor
as
its
new
Global
ambassador.
Then,
last
week,
the
International
Indian
film
academy
and
the
Fame
Multiplexes
added
Anil
Kapoor
to
the
second
edition
of
the
"IIFA
wall
of
fame"
by
chronicling
his
life
and
career.
The
tribute
featured
special
memorabilia,
trophies,
costumes,
movie
posters
and
collection
of
photographs
spanning
Anil
Kapoor's
childhood
days,
family
friends
and
candid
shots
from
his
shootings.
The
first
IIFA
wall
of
fame
was
launched
in
June
last
year
with
a
tribute
to
Superstar
Amitabh
Bachchan.
Adding
to
Anil
Kapoor's
list
of
accolades
was
Hollywood
star
Will
Smith
recently
showering
effusive
praise
on
the
actor
on
watching
a
showreel
of
his
latest
home
production
venture
Mahatma
Vs
gandhi,
starring
Akshay
Khanna
and
directed
by
theatreperson
Feroz
Khan.
Emerging
from
the
screening
of
the
film,
Will
Smith
is
said
to
have
commented
that
he
simply
loved
what
he
saw.