J-pop singer, Hiroshi Kitadani spoke about his love for Indian films and also shed light on Rajinikanth's popularity in Japan.
Japanese singer, Hiroshi Kitadani is a popular name in the J-pop world. He rose to fame for singing the first, fifteenth, nineteenth, twenty-second and twenty-sixth opening themes of the popular anime series One Piece. He is the man behind the most recognisable song, We Are from the anime world.
Hiroshi was in India recently and performed for the first time in front of an Indian audience. In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Hiroshi spoke about his experience performing in India and revealed that he felt connected to the country, as he is a big fan of Indian films. When Hiroshi was asked to name his favourite film, he replied that his current favourite is RRR. He also mentioned Padman and English Vinglish’s Japanese version, Madam in New York, as his other favourites.
In the same interaction, Hiroshi spoke about Rajinikanth's huge fanbase in Japan. Hiroshi shared that Rajinikanth is the most popular Indian star in Japan. For the unversed, Rajinikanth’s Muthu was released in Japan in 1998 and broke all box office records, running for 23 weeks.
When Hiroshi was asked whether he had seen Rajinikant’s superhit film, Muthu, he pointed out how the title was different in Japan and was called The Dancing Maharaja (Muthu’s Japanese title). Beaming with excitement, he shared:
“Ah, I know the Dancing Maharaja. He is famous!”
Hiroshi Kitadani’s 1999 song, We Are, is a globally recognised anthem for the anime, One Piece. The popularity of the song has endured for over 25 years, and the iconic anthem helped launch One Piece into a global phenomenon. Despite so many years, the song’s popularity continues. After his recent performance in Mumbai, Hiroshi revealed that the song changed his life for the better.
Speaking about the same, he told Hindustan Times that he got the song during his lowest phase. Calling it a lottery, he shared:
“It was truly my lowest point after my debut. The offer for We Are! came when things weren't going well at all, so it was unexpected. It was like an unexpected Cinderella story, but I felt glad I had kept singing. Being needed for my singing...being wanted was what made me happy. I thought it was great that there was someone who recognised my voice and that I could return to my life through my singing voice. It’s truly an unbelievable event. It’s like winning the lottery. I think I was really, really lucky in my life.”
Hiroshi Kitadani began his singing career in 1994 as a member of the musical trio Stagger. Soon, he gained fame after singing One Piece’s opening song, We Are. It was in 2003 when Hiroshi joined the JAM Project and from thereon, Hiroshi became a prominent figure in the anison industry. Throughout his journey, Hiroshi performed at various concerts and felt proud that his songs had crossed borders.
What do you think about Hiroshi Kitadani’s take on Indian films and Rajinikanth?
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