It's Bollywood summer!

If British contestants at Channel 4 hunt are any yardstick to go by, then India is definitely brimming with superior talent, writes Nabanita Sircar.

The brilliant sunshine gives hope that weather forecasters predicting a wet summer may finally be proven wrong. However, an Indian summer, in more ways than one, is already in full glory in this country. Channel 4 is already celebrating it with its four-part Bollywood Star contest. Two episodes are over, two more yet to be aired. Every Tuesday night millions watch the ongoing competition, leaving most Indians wondering if what we see is what Bollywood is actually looking for. I have to admit, and so will most Indians with knowledge of Indian cinema, that the final choice may put director Mahesh Bhatt in a quandry. He has promised a role for the winner in his film, but does he know what he is asking for? May be not. We will have to wait and watch. But I am sure this series will bring out one factor into the open - India is definitely brimming with much superior talent and looks, if the British contestants are any yard-stick to go by.

I must say Channel 4 has made a huge effort to attract a special audience - Bollywood fans. It has devoted a website named Bollywood Star, which not only informs about the competition, but also covers various aspects of Bollywood. The interest in the Indian film industry is already evident by the huge number of white Britons who have entered the Channel 4 contest. The website has chosen five top Bollywood actors to celebrate the Bollywood Celebrity season programmed by Nasreen Munni Kabir.

It is no surprise that the list of five top actors is headed by none other than the "talented actor with his deep sonorous voice", Amitabh Bachchan. There are of course very "few female stars even today who can match" the screen presence of Madhuri Dixit, who follows the Big B in the list, which also includes Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Aamir Khan. Amitabh Bachchan, nevertheless, seems to be the thread of all sections of the website. He has been described as "an icon and one of the most famous Indians of all time." Truly so. He has also given a video introduction for Aks for the website, which lists the various Indian films which will be shown on Channel 4 this summer.

How much Bollywood do you want? Well, it is not over as yet, because Hyphen Films is even selling limited edition box sets of 32 postcards illustrating the vibrant world of Indian cinema at £5 per box. A few years ago who would have thought Bollywood would have such an effect on the British psyche, but now the latest film releases hit Westend cinema screens and find a place in the country's top ten charts regularly.

While Bollywood is flourishing in Britain, so are Indians. Karan Bilimoria needs to be congratulated for his growing success. Not only has he been honoured with a CBE recently, he has become a great inspiration for young students and is ahead of even traditional favourites like Virgin boss Richard Branson and Bill Gates. When I met Mr Bilimoria at a dinner and mentioned it to him, he smiled and said he was quite surprised by the finding, but nevertheless delighted. Who wouldn't be, if at 43 you become a leadership example for the younger generation.

Talking about Indians, the big event of this month will be located in Paris, not London - the wedding of Vanisha, LN Mittal's daughter. Many invitees to the event, from India, have already descended upon London, making last minute preparations to fly to Paris for the week-long celebrations. Indian designers are also here supplying customers with their latest creations to be seen in, at the wedding. And Mr Mittal has decided to give hungry scribes a peek into the party of the month, by setting a special website where one can see photographs and details of the event. It almost sounds like the days of the maharajas, where the commoners were allowed a rare glimpse of the royal couple. There was no IT then or else this is exactly how it would have happened. What a way to treat the media!