When it comes to animation, special effects and stunts, Bollywood has looked to the West more specifically Hollywood for inspiration. But when it comes to declaring your undying love by breaking into a saccharine lyrical odyssey, it's Bollywood that serves as creative fodder for their Western peers.
While Hollywood types can take the Indian theatrics a bit too seriously, others revel in tongue-in-cheek send-ups of the song and dance routines, over-the-top emotions and the elaborate costumes. Case in point: The recent antics of Oscar-nominated actress Natalie Portman, who romances her rather emaciated real-life boyfriend Devendra Banhart in the video of his new single Carmensita.
The spoof video is replete with side kicking dancers, 10-headed demons, snakes spewing venom and all things fantastical. Be warned, it may not go down too well with culturally sensitive Indians. But go back a few steps and you will find that the rumbles of Hollywood-to-Bollywood osmosis started a long time ago.
Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar best Bollywood knot
To carry off yards of unstitched cloth and make it look like the height of fashion is no walk in the park, but British model and actress Liz Hurley proved otherwise. She could glide and spin around in circles with her groom in the busy streets of Mumbai. As a part of her wedding celebrations held at a 15th century castle in England, she treated her celebrity guests to a Bollywood movie as an alternative to toasts and speeches. The stars were none other than Hurley and Nayar and the script was based on the formulaic boy-meets-girl story. The film, made within a month, had a cast and production team of 100 people.
The second leg of the Nayar-Hurley nuptials, held at the Umaid Bhavan palace in Jodhpur, had a heavy Bollywood theme. A wedding parade featuring elephants and horses and a strict dress code of hot pink saris for the lady guests wrapped up the Bollywood-esque affair.
Heidi Klum and Seal Marriage, Indian style
This globe-trotting celebrity couple will do just about anything to inject romance and adventure into their marital life. For their third wedding anniversary, Seal and Klum sealed their vows by making good on the Great Indian Wedding theme in Mexico. Word has it that they were inspired during one of their visits to the Indian holy city of Varanasi. They imported a pandit (spiritual leader)-cum-tourist guide to chant vedic hymns and distributed wedding invitations emblazoned with Ganesha motifs and Om symbols. The celebrity couple could surely inspire a Bollywood producer to spin a film about cross-cultural lovers. Klum's outfit missed the mark though she wore an out-dated blouse (short tunic) with a heavily embroidered red sari. But Seal looked dapper in a sherwani the traditional Indian long tunic. He could be a serious threat to the Bollywood brawn factory.
Shakira Dance like an Indian
When this Columbian-Lebanese singing sensation executed some cutting-edge pelvic thrusts during a performance at an MTV Awards ceremony, it became evident that her hips rarely lie. A classic case of Bollywood-bowling-the-maiden-over, Shakira brandished her new moves, tackling the swathes of fuchsia silk in her Indo-Western fusion look with admirable ease. Ace Indian choreographer Farah Khan, who worked with Shakira closely for this gig, went to the extent of labelling her as “natural", offering her a role in her high-profile directorial debut Om Shanti Om. Though the mutual interest grabbed headlines, sadly their collaboration remained only mutual admiration.
Charlotte Church Bollywood starts with her bedroom
This Welsh songstress takes a page or two out of ancient Indian love stories. In a report published in Britian's Daily Mirror newspaper, Church has reportedly converted her master bedroom into a Maharaja's love nest. The plush-themed interior includes elaborate hand-made saris masquerading as curtains, ornate arches and over-sized silk cushions.
Will Smith
Blown away by Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Karan Johar
Smith's jaunt to launch an Indian TV channel was a revelation: why wasn't he known as the Big W? Apparently, when the actor realised that Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan was referred to as Big B by his fans, he requested his fans to honour him with a title along the same lines. Another Bollywood icon who makes the Independence Day actor loose his willpower is Aishwarya Rai.
Despite being turned down by the actress twice as the leading lady for his films Hitch and Hancock Smith is willing to bend all the rules to get her on board one of his projects. His penchant for Bollywood doesn't end with casting Bollywood A-listers. Smith has also held talks with top directors including Karan Johar to discuss the possibility of making a Bollywood debut. For now, we are tempted to bestow him with the Best Bollywood Goodwill ambassador title for his sheer enthusiasm alone.
When Hugh Grant meets Shilpa shetty
Celebrity Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty and British actor Hugh Grant are planning to make a romantic comedy that revolves around East-meets-West culture clash. If the reports are anything to go by, Shetty will play the role of a Bollywood diva in search of Mr Right. “It's going to be hotter than a vindaloo… with dancing, singing and a spicy story to boot," is the buzz in the inside circles.
Bollywood brush-up
27 Dresses Watching Katherine Heigl straddle twoweddings, Indian and Anglican, in one night set the tone of this romantic comedy about the ever-accommodating bridesmaid who's never the bride.
Love Guru
Touted to be Mike Myer's comeback vehicle, Love Guru explores the trials and triumphs of Guru Pitka's spiritual quest. Double entendres and sexual innuendo, which may not go down well with some Indians, are the thrust behind the story of an Indian-born/American-bred holy man.
The Guru
Colourful Bollywood dance numbers and the subtle digs at spirituality and the media's obsession with spiritual leaders, made this quirky comedy enjoyable. Jim Mistry (the religious teacher who doles out sexual-healing advice) and Heather Graham (as a wayward actress) take more than one strand from Bollywood.
