MUMBAI: Grammy-winning legend Elton John recently received a call from two pranksters posing as the Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, what may have started off as a prank has become quite the reality with the Russian President actually calling up the singer inviting him to discuss rights for the LBGT community.

The Kremlin confirmed the development that the Putin proposed a conversation on the topic to John.

As per various reports, Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, informed the Russian media that Putin put in a phone call to the ‘Rocketman’ singer and requested John not to get offended by the hoax call. Now, both parties are looking at a suitable time to meet. Peskov added that Putin and John can discuss any issue of interest.

The prank was played by two Russians comedians -Vladimir Krasnov and Alexei Stolyarov, known as ‘Vovan and Lexus’, and was aired on a Russian TV show.

It all started when John told the BBC that he would like to talk to Putin and address the issue faced by the gay community in Russia, and the treatment imposed on them because of their sexual orientation.

According to a report by Human Rights Watch, “Russian authorities are failing to protect gay people from persecution and are not prosecuting the perpetrators of a number of anti-gay attacks.”

The country has long faced criticism for its laws on homosexuality.