Raj Kapoor

The name Raj Kapoor might not mean much to the new generation, but for Soviet people, he was one of the biggest overseas celebrities. He gained a huge fan base by starring in movies like The Vagabond (1951), which grossed nearly 64 million tickets in the USSR.

Raj Kapoor played strong characters who had to deal with many hardships. This made him a beloved symbol of hope and persistence both in his home country, India, and in the Soviet Union. Everyone not only knew the movies, but also loved the songs featured in them. Raj Kapoor paid several visits to Moscow over the years, and the streets were swamped with crowds of his admirers.

Natalia Oreiro

Natalia Oreiro, an actress of Uruguayan descent, formed a special bond with her Russian audience in the 1990s. That’s when Wild Angel (1998–1999), an Argentinian show, aired and became immensely popular here. Natalia’s performance as Milagros resonated with the local audience, and she became a beloved icon, both as an actress and a singer. Russian fans even gave her a special nickname: “nasha Natasha” (Our Natasha), which shows how relatable they found her.

Adriano Celentano

A huge star worldwide, Adriano Celentano has a lot of admirers in Russia, too, and this admiration goes way back. In the 1980s, films starring him like The Taming of the Scoundrel (1980) were among top-grossing in the Soviet Union. Everyone was charmed by his humor and talent that translated through languages.

Adriano’s music was also incredibly popular, as proved by thousands of people attending his sold-out concerts in Moscow. Fun fact: he has a song with lyrics in Russian called Ja tebia liubliu (I love you).

You can discover how international popular culture mixed with Russian in our other stories, like Lost in Translation: Hit Songs With Hit Russian Covers and 5 Foreign Characters Beloved in Russia.