In addition to the three Khans – Shah Rukh, Salman, Aamir – Akshay Kumar is perhaps the only other male Bollywood star to have a huge overseas box office following. His last release, Namastey London, made it to the UK Top 10 and his latest, Heyy Babyy, looks set to do the same. This Three Men and a Baby homage is released globally this Friday. The former Casanova actor, more famous in the UK for being Shilpa Shetty’s alleged cheating boyfriend, is now a respectable married man. How did he feel about joining the Khan oligopoly? “I don’t know about that. We are a huge big family. I am just lucky, maybe,” Kumar diplomatically stated.

Sholay reincarnated

Has Ram Gopal Varma lost the plot? The once promising director - Rangeela, Satya, Bhoot - has recently been turning out dud after dud. He is reunited with his Godfather and Lolita remakes regular Amitabh Bachchan in next week’s release, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag. This is a remake of Bollywood’s most famous film Sholay. Will Varma recreate the Sholay magic? Unlikely, as families may be barred from viewing the violent remake: the British censors intend to issue it with an adult 15 certificate unless cuts are made.

Goan Birthday

“I didn’t tell anyone it was my birthday,” British Asian hunk turned Bollywood actor Upen Patel revealed earlier this week. The Shaka Laka star turned 26 last Friday in Goa where he was shooting for his upcoming comedy, Ashwini’s Dheer’s 123. Will there be a celebration? “I am now back in Mumbai. Maybe I’ll have a small belated birthday get-together, just for close friends,” Patel pondered.

Sambar and Salsa

Renu Patel has a dream: to develop British Asian cinema. Towards this goal, she has established Kaybee Pictures which produced Sambar Salsa, a cross cultural romance set in Britain. The film, which premieres at London’s prestigious Empire cinema in Leicester Square on 12th September, intends to target the third generation of British Asians. Patel told me: “British Asians want to see their current lives reflected in film, not life in India.” Will the film be different from the typical Bollywood film? “It’s in English, with just one song and it is 98 minutes. I do not believe in long films,” the glamorous Rani Mukherji look-alike stated.

Run Fatboy Run

Last Wednesday night, I chatted with Harish Patel, on stage currently at London’s National Theatre in the play Rafta Rafta, at the unofficial party for another British Asian film, Cash and Curry. Patel, a seasoned Bollywood character actor and best known in Britain for his work in My Son the Fanatic and the TV series The Buddha of Suburbia, is excited about his new film, Run Fatboy Run. “I am happy as for once I am not playing the fatboy of the title!” the chubby Patel laughed.

Bollywood in Hollywood – the sequel

India Splendor, a celebration of all things Indian, concluded last week in Los Angeles. At least 5000 people attended including many Bollywood stars. The highlight was an exclusive appearance by the newly weds, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. Sultry siren Bipasha Basu closed the event with her saucy ‘Beedi’ dance number. “We have been overwhelmed by the tremendous response of the citizens of southern California to the first India Splendor,” Bhuvan Lall the director of the event beamed. “We will have a sequel next year!”

Failure to bloom

Last week’s Hollywood meets Bollywood release, Marigold with Salman Khan, failed to flower at the UK and the global box-office. On the other hand, Shah Rukh Khan’s hockey film Chak De India continues to score in the UK Top 15 in its third week of release. Looks like bad boy No2 Salman Khan will not be packing his bags for Hollywood as yet.

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