The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined Bollywood royalty on the red carpet at the end of the couple's first day of their India tour.
Prince William and wife Kate attended a charity gala held at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, which was one of the sites targeted by terrorists in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The Duke said he was "awed and amazed" by India and added the country was top of the list of places the Duchess wanted to visit after they were first married.
He told the guests: "Catherine and I are full of admiration for this diverse and democratic society.
"No one can come here without being awed and amazed.
"No one can come without a sense of excitement about all that India has achieved in the past and the extraordinary promise it holds for the future."
Among Bollywood's top stars who turned out to welcome the couple were actor Shah Rukh Khan and actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, as well as cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
Kate wore a glittering blue gown by British designer Jenny Packham.
The event was to raise awareness and support for three charities working with some of India's most deprived youngsters.
The reception was in marked contrast to the surroundings earlier in the day when the royal couple met with some of the young people who work with the charities Doorstep, Magic Bus and Childline.
Kate and William played cricket with the kids and to the delight of the crowd were joined by Tendulkar, one of the past superstars of the game.
He put the royals through their paces on Mumbai's iconic recreation ground, the Oval Maidan.
Despite her first-ball dismissal the Duchess was given another chance and hit the next two deliveries over the fielders before she was finally caught out.
Afterwards Tendulkar said he had been "bowled over by their humility," adding that it was "a special experience".
"They were a truly charming couple and it's nice to know they follow cricket and truly understand the game," he said.
On Tuesday the Duke and Duchess will meet some of Mumbai's most successful young entrepreneurs before travelling to New Delhi.
They will pay their respects at India Gate and attend a garden party in honour of the Queen's 90th birthday next week.
Two days in Kaziranga National Park will follow and then the couple fly to Bhutan to meet the King and Queen of the tiny Himalayan nation.
The tour wraps up on Saturday back in India with a visit to the Taj Mahal.
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