Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says Apple CEO Tim Cook, whom he hosted to a dinner at his residnece here on Wednesday, is a "rockstar".
Shah Rukh, one of Hindi cinema's top-rated and globally most popular actors, welcomed Cook and his team for dinner on Wednesday night. Bollywood's famed Bachchan family, apart from stars like Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit Nene were in attendance too.
Expressing gratitude to them all, the tech-savvy actor tweeted: "Thank you all for coming and making Tim Cook and his wonderful team feel the warmth and love of India. Mr. Cook you are a rockstar!"
Thk u @SrBachchan @juniorbachchan Aishwarya & Jaya aunty for taking time out. Sarbjit will be awesome I am sure. pic.twitter.com/BSqtik2HT2
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 18, 2016
He especially thanked the Bachchans.
"Thank you Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya and Jaya aunty for taking time out. 'Sarbjit' will be awesome I am sure," he added, making a reference to Aishwarya's forthcoming film.
Aamir, who attended the dinner party without his wife Kiran Rao, brought in some toys for Shah Rukh's two-year-old son AbRam.
Thk u all for coming & making @tim_cook & his wonderful team feel the warmth & love of India.Mr.Cook u r a rockstar! pic.twitter.com/e7HdJUZ0Hp
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 18, 2016
Thanking him, SRK tweeted: "Aamir Khan, thank you for the toys. AbRam is still awake and playing with them."
Cook is in India on his first official visit to the country.
He first went to Bengaluru, the home of India's startup scene, and then in Mumbai, he visited the famed Shree Siddhivinayak temple.
During his Delhi visit, Cook has plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shah Rukh took to Twitter to thank all his guests for making Cook and his team feel the love and warmth of the country.
MADHURI DIXIT NENE LOVED MEETING TIM COOK
Actress Madhuri Dixit Nene, who was one of the guests at superstar Shah Rukh Khan's dinner held for Tim Cook, says it was a "pleasure" meeting the Apple CEO.
"It was a pleasure meeting Tim Cook and the Apple team at Shah Rukh Khan's house yesterday. Loved seeing everyone!" Madhuri tweeted on Thursday.
The actress also shared a photograph of herself along with husband Shriram Nene and Cook.
However, some actors like Neha Dhupia missed being at the star-studded event.
It was a pleasure meeting Tim Cook and the Apple team at @iamsrk 's house yesterday. Loved seeing everyone! pic.twitter.com/Aco8aLsddB
— Madhuri Dixit-Nene (@MadhuriDixit) May 19, 2016
"Just happy to know that I was in the same zip code as Tim Cook... As for the rest, hopefully will get to meet (Cook) in this lifetime!" Neha tweeted on Thursday.
Held at Shah Rukh's home 'Mannat' here on Wednesday, the dinner party also was attended by Bollywood's biggest stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Aamir Khan, among others.
Cook is in India on his first official visit to the country. On Wednesday, he announced that the tech giant would establish a Design and Development Accelerator facility in Bengaluru, the home of India's startup scene.
He also took out time to visit the famed Shree Siddhivinayak temple here. There is also news that Cook plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday during his Delhi visit.
APPLE CEO TOUCHED BY INDIANS' WARMTH, OPENS FACILITY IN HYDERABAD
Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook, on the second day of his India visit on Thursday, inaugurated the tech giant's development centre here and visited a women's college, while admitting he was impressed by Hyderabad's culture and history and had already fallen in love with the city.
Cook, who flew in from Mumbai on Thursday morning, opened the facility which will focus on development of maps for Apple products like iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
The investment will accelerate maps development and create up to 4,000 jobs, the company said. It, however, did not reveal the investment made and other details.
The facility has come up on leased space at WaveRock complex at Nanakramguda in the IT corridor. It will provide a world-class, LEED-certified home for the Maps team.
Telangana's Information Technology Minister K. T. Rama Rao requested Apple to set up their permanent campus in Hyderabad and also consider the state as its partner when they eventually decide to manufacture mobile phones.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who inaugurated the facility along with with Cook, assured all support for Apple's future endeavours.
For the map development centre, Apple has partnered with Noida-based RMSI, a leading IT services player that offers GIS, analytics and software services.
Rama Rao later tweeted: "Hyderabad becomes home to the largest tech development centre of Apple Inc outside of US."
"With Apple, Hyderabad now is proud to be home to 4 of the top 5 most valued tech companies' largest office outside USA: Google, MS & Amazon."
Cook described the warmth of people in India as unparalleled and said he liked the vibrancy of its people and has already made some lifelong friends here.
"The main thing I have learnt about India is the warmth of people. It is unparalleled unlike any country I have ever been to, including my own.
"I travelled to India this week to learn about the culture, learn about the people and learn how business is done. I have learnt a lot about all those, I still have a lot to learn. But most of all, I will leave India inspired. I am deeply inspired by the vibrancy of the people that I have met, the energy enthusiasm and incredible talent," he said.
The Apple CEO, who was in Mumbai on Wednesday, said it was an unbelievable day and that he has already made some lifelong friends.
Addressing Chandrasekhar Rao as "KCR", Cook remarked: "I love the informality and I can tell you already I love Hyderabad."
He said he took a tour and has already picked up how rich Hyderabad is in culture, history and tradition.
Cook told the gathering that he also found there were various technologies here even in very early days. "I think history is repeating here," he said.
He said Apple had always been about creating the very best products in the world. "We always like to do products that enrich other people's life because we are driven as a culture by changing the world, changing it for the better," he added.
"We are honoured to be here. We hope to be a key partner of the community here and hope for lifelong friendship together," said the Apple CEO amid thunderous applause by the company employees and state officials.
"The talent here in the local area is incredible and we are looking forward to expanding our relationships and introducing more universities and partners to our platforms as we scale our operations," added Cook who later visited G. Narayanamma Institute of Technology and Science for women, where he inaugurated a computer centre for which also Apple signed an MoU for training the students.
A group of 45 students will be trained in fusion technology used in map development and some of these may later be absorbed in the company.
Before inauguration of the facility, Cook had a meeting with the chief minister. Rama Rao, who is the chief minister's son, IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and a few top officials were also present.