Indian megastar Amitabh Bachchan has posted a Youtube video in which he apologises for his absence from the upcoming Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF), running from 16 to 22 March.

In the video, shared by LAFF, the actor said his cancellation was “due to the unfortunate illness of a close friend & relative," and beseached his fans to "give your very compassionate understanding."

Bachchan had recently announced his intention to attend the festival, which will honour the actor with a retrospective of his films.

In the video, he thanked LAFF for the retrospective, and expressed his high regard for Egypt.

“I’ve always felt at home in Egypt; for me it’s almost like a second home, so the prospect of coming to Luxor was very exciting for me and I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it is not happening this time…. but my heart and my soul will be with you in the festival,” he said.

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