Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's latest movie "Om Shanti Om" had its gala world premiere here Thursday with the actor saying he hoped it would help bring Hindi films to the doorsteps of the West.

"It's a beginning. Every new film helps us to mount the steps," he said after a screening for the press at the downtown Empire Leicester cinema.

In London for the gala red-carpet premiere, besides Khan, is the film's debutante female lead Deepika Padukone, co-stars Arjun Rampal and Shreyas Talpade and distributor and Eros International chairman Kishore Lulla.

This was the first time an Indian film had premiered at the Empire at Leicester Square - home of all London movie premieres, Khan said.

He said London was the perfect launching pad for the film because of the history of "cultural cross-pollination" between India and Britain.

"I have always thought that we should be taking the first steps to bring out India's economy and culture to the world," he added.

Lulla said: "This is one of the most awaited films of the year and we are excited to be leveraging Eros's global distribution in promoting the film."