Bollywood mania swept across UK with now Bollywood tunes being used to lure Asian women for health checks. Truly an instance of films touching the life of common man in areas that matter most to the community.
Gurinder Chadha's new venture Bride and Prejudice with Bollywood 'queen' Aishwarya Rai (hailed by Time magazine as Bollywood's new icon) and Martin Henderson (of The Ring fame) playing the Darcy to Elizabeth Bennet created unprecedented media interest. The Bennets will be dipped in Asian colours to emerge as the Bakshis in an Indianised version.
Bollywood cross-winds blew strong and favourably with Liz Hurley now slated to act in an Indian movie. Brit star Lucy Bartholomew turned Indian laila and shook a shapely leg in the Sushmita Sen-starrer Samay, offering to reveal more if Indian audiences so desire.
The young hunk from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Toby Stephens, agreed to play a major role in a Aamir Khan's The Rising - based on the 1857 Indian war of Independence.
The sweeping saga of immortal love with King Khan Shah Rukh in and as Devdas and Bend it like Beckham, which blended UK and Bolly stars, made it as Bafta nominees. A very special mention to Asif Kapadia who went on to win the Bafta for his magnificent The Warrior starring the intense and multifaceted Irfan Khan of the magnetic eyes, a Mumbai theatre, film and TV star.
The heart-stoppingly beautiful British Indian Katrina Kaif's debut in Boom raised hopes of Brit Indian girls aspiring to sing and dance in the Mumbaiyya matinees.
{{/usCountry}}The heart-stoppingly beautiful British Indian Katrina Kaif's debut in Boom raised hopes of Brit Indian girls aspiring to sing and dance in the Mumbaiyya matinees.
{{/usCountry}}AR Rahman's music in Andrew Weber Lloyds gala Bombay Dreams had the Brits and Asians alike at West End going Shaka Laka and its stars - Amir Reza, Priya Kalidas and Ayesha Dharkar - now well-known names among the white fraternity, too.
Gone are the days when the West looked down on Bollywood films as downmarket productions full of songs and dances and no kissing. The times
they are a changin.
Bollywood is definitely emerging as a strong factor uniting Asians away from home in UK as one community with even Brits saying to Bollywood: Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.