Winners' Streak

These are some examples of Bollywood spreading its wings worldwide. Viva la Bollywood!

To begin with

Let the Wind Blow (Hawa Aana De) directed by Partho Sen Gupta was screened at the Commonwealth Film Festival this year but had had its international premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. It was recently awarded a special mention of the jury at the 28th Hong Kong International Film Festival.

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Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (K3G if you're in a big rush), in December last went head to head with Harry Potter and got to number three in the British film charts, the highest ever entry for a Bollywood film in the UK. The film netted £2.5 million in the UK alone.

This is what Channel 4 has to say as it kicks off its summer season of Bollywood come August.

Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham

"This summer sees a host of Bollywood-inspired events. From Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End musical Bombay Dreams to the BFI's massive Imagine Asia film festival and Channel 4's Indian Summer Season, Indian cinema has wooed and won the UK, and it's done so largely on its own terms.

"Instrumental have been a series of stylish, sophisticated Hinglish films - movies that blend the kitsch and colour of Bollywood with a Western-friendly cool. Many retain the old conventions - you won't see much snogging for example, and passion still gives rise to song. But there's a slickness to the production and an extravagance to the storytelling that makes for fantastic, escapist entertainment. And if success is measured in Oscar nominations, or even if it's not, then the daddy of the new Hinglish cinema is Lagaan."

The popularKalHo Naa Ho got to number sixin the UK box-office charts without the support of the English language press in the United Kingdom when it was released!

The increased interest in India in Italy prompted the Indo-Italian Chamber to announce "Namaste India", a festival in Rome that will showcase the latest trends in Indian cinema. The best of Bollywood hits will be screened.

While the invites for Indian films are flowing in from both the West and the East, the Indian government has stepped in by hosting a festival of Indian cinema in Shanghai to cater to the increased demand for Indian films in China.

Hollywood directors and producers are also looking towards India. Salman Khan will start working on a Hollywood production - Marigold. The film is a musical romantic comedy written and directed by US filmmaker Willard Carroll. Budgeted at under US $10 million, it has been dubbed as Bollywood-Hollywood collaboration and will be shot in both English and Hindi. Marigold will be shot in Mumbai, Goa and Rajasthan. Talk of Hollywood coming to Bollywood.

The US cinema major-20th Century Fox is reportedly in talks for an English version of the film, Munnabhai M.B.B.S. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani and, has been directed by Rajkumar Hirani and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

And finally, for what its worth, even a Mallika Sherawat (they can't get more Bollywood-ian than her) has signed on the dotted line to co-star in a Jackie Chan film! Well, you can't have the cake and eat it too - not all the time anyway.

Viva la Bollywood.