Hasselhoff finally gets his Oscar

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Well, a Bollywood Oscar anyway. And the award wasn’t presented in Bombay, but rather in, uh, New Jersey.

Nevertheless, one can only imagine the electricity in the air as hundreds gathered to honor one of the greatest actors of their generation – MSNBC Reports – Apparently, Indians also love David Hasselhoff –

IndiaÂ’s version of the Oscars were handed out at the glittering Bollywood movie award ceremony on Saturday that saw a veteran director sweep the top honors and U.S. actor David Hasselhoff named international star of the year.

Veer-Zaara and Rani Mukherji picked up awards as well presented by… David Hasselhoff.

“The winner is the ‘Spielberg of India,’ Yash Chopra,” said Baywatch star Hasselhoff as he presented the award for best film [to Yash Chopra for Veer-Zaara].

Hasselhoff – so often the butt of late night jokes for his improbably strong European singing career – can apparently count on a billion desi’s within his fanbase. I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that, given his repertoire of 80s personae, Hasselhoff continues to inspire modern Bollywood villains and heroes alike –

The eyepatch that launched a thousand Bollywood gundas… inspired countless Hrithik movie scenes
… Thums-up ads and hairstyles … and the inspiration for thousands of arranged marriage bridal nightmares

[if you’re a glutton for punishment, more Hasselhoff images here (just barely work-safe)]

11 thoughts on “Hasselhoff finally gets his Oscar”

  1. V, That last picture of Hasselhoff was COMPLETELY uncalled for. I’m scarred for life. 🙂

  2. Friends – You will see him in my next film starring opposite Shilpa Shetty, in an exciting family drama with new twists and turns never concieved in Hindi cinema before. I am also asking Hindustan Motors to see if they can build a ‘Kitt’ like car for our film. If not, we will just give hime a talking horse !

    And frineds, please say No To Coyright Piracy!

  4. He (says that he) brought down the Berlin Wall too:

    Hasselhoff was already a singing star in Austria and Switzerland when, in 1989, he had the wisdom to cover a 1970s German hit, Auf Der Strasse Nach Suden. Renaming it Looking for Freedom, with Hasselhoff singing in English, the song raced up the charts in the late summer, just as a wave of revolt began sweeping through Eastern Europe. By the time Berliners started hacking away at the concrete wall that had divided their city for a generation, the torch-bearing anthem had been number one for several weeks in West Germany. With its lament, “I’ve been lookin’ for freedom; I’ve been lookin’ so long; I’ve been lookin’ for freedom; still the search goes on,” the song embodied the frustrations of Germany’s years of division. The album of the same name topped the charts for three months and, that December, Hasselhoff was invited to headline a New Year’s Eve concert in the recently reunited city. The gig was apparently rubber-stamped by the then German chancellor, Helmut Kohl. The singer himself has powerful memories of the performance. “It was the first time Germany had been unified, and close to a million East and West German fans stood together in the freezing cold at midnight watching me perform. I was overcome with emotion,” he recalls. Hasselhoff, who by now was appearing in Baywatch, scooped a clutch of top German music awards and went on to become one of the country’s biggest selling artists of the 90s. His popularity even prompted a headline in one German newspaper, “Hasselhoff: not since the Beatles”.

  6. Hasselhoff absolutely deserves this award… his performance in The Spongebob Movie (an instant classic in my book) was extremely moving.

    By the way, does anybody know where I purchase a blown-up version of the picture of Hasselhoff in the speedo? (you have terrible taste Abhi)

  7. Funny how “hair” has been replaced by “six-packs”… “Okay, Mr. Hasselhoff, strip to your briefs and put on this vinyl shirt so it looks like you got caught with your pants down, kind of”… India and David Hasselhoff, I don’t know, for some reason it reminds me of grown Japanese women having a thing for Hello Kitty purses.

    Anyhow, too bad Yash Chopra has to be the “Spielberg of India” and not just “Yash Chopra.”

  8. Hasselhoff received the award for best international star because his successful television series are among the most popular on Indian television.

    meaning: all of our boy-cousins dig watching Baywatch because it’s practically soft-core, to them…

  10. Baywatch was a master-stroke. Giving the coveted 18-34 male audience just what it wants. I remember going through a bunch of Shengen countries years ago and hearing the word Baywatch in every country!

    Unfortunately, Hasselhoff still can’t act. Or sing. Can you imagine he tours in Germany?? Mind boggling.

    All those shows were shite – men and their machines – Streethawk, Knight Rider, Air Wolf and Desi Arnaz Jr. in Automan! Godawful.

  11. dig watching Baywatch because it’s practically soft-core, to them

    It’s one of those classic cultural commentaries that – at best – Baywatch was a second tier TV show in the US while a ratings winner overseas.

    KnightRider on the other hand…. lets just say that Hasselhoff will forever be Michael Knight, not Mitch Buchanan.