Tom Cruise jets into city; it's Mission Mumbai here on

Tom Cruise landed in Mumbai today after visiting the world’s most famous mausoleum, the Taj Mahal monument in Agra earlier in the day. He was accompanied by his Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol co-star, Anil Kapoor who is playing his guide and host whilst he is in India. Pandemonium prevailed at the special exit gate, reserved for VIPs at the Santa Cruz airport in Mumbai, with jostling crowds, all eager to see him, the Hollywood star in the flesh. Photographers clamoured to get the one ‘exclusive’ shot of the star, but when it is a classified public relations exercise, there is nothing exclusive about it. The policemen and security personnel on the job managed to keep the crowds civil even as they tried to inch closer to get into the camera frames for their own little shot at Hollywood fame, being photographed with or around the world’s biggest star. [caption id=“attachment_147511” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Anil Kapoor is playing Cruise’s guide and host whilst he is in India. Raju Shelar”]  [/caption] Mumbai’s December heat sure was welcomed by Cruise, who looked flushed, but seemed unfazed by it as he waved and smiled at the crowds before he sped away with his entourage to his hotel, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower in Colaba, Mumbai. Cruise and his people are staying in the heritage wing of the luxury hotel whose staff has been prepping for the actor’s arrival with meticulous care weeks in advance. Although, surprisingly, some of them drew a blank when Cruise’s name was mentioned – they did not know who he was and no, they weren’t trying to be discreet! Tonight, Cruise will witness Indian hospitality from Michelin starred Indian chefs and meet the city’s most celebrated and influential people, all of whom know of the actor, if not know him personally, aided by Kapoor of course. According to the London and US tabloids, his wife, Katie Holmes and daughter, Suri were scheduled to accompany him on the India trip, but Cruise flew in solo. Tomorrow, Cruise will interact with his Indian fans at the Imax theatre in Wadala where his film, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, the fourth installment of the hugely successful Mission Impossible franchise, will be screened, in 2D and 3D, two weeks ahead of its worldwide release date – 16 December and the Indian audience will be the first to see the film. The Top Gun star is the topic du jour and Mumbai is set for some impossibly entertaining days ahead till Cruise jets out to promote the film in Dubai next. [fpgallery id=340]