In the early stages of the now thriving Bollywood, it was deemed unseemly for Hindu and Muslim actresses to appear on celluloid. As a result, they sometimes hired bulky men (with trademark Indian moustaches) to dress up in saris and bangles and to prance around playing the woman’s role. As...
Hollywood spikes presence in India
Years ago, only a small sliver of Indian who lived in large metro cities and had a western inclination would see Hollywood movies, which typically arrived years late and were not dubbed locally. Subsequently VCD and DVD piracy affected the long lead market as well. All that has changed now,...
SlumDog's shadow continues to influence "Millionaire"
"Who Wants to be a Millionaire" gets a third life in its largest market. When Danny Boyle, director of "SlumDog Millionaire" was looking to cast the role of the host of "Millionaire" in the movie, the obvious choices were the two Indian film stars who had already hosted the Indian...
India Billionaire comes to Hollywood
Anil Ambani and his $42 billion fortune are looking to make their mark in Hollywood. Negotiations are under way between Anil and legendary director Steven Spielberg to provide $600 million in equity, enough to let DreamWorks separate from parent Paramount Pictures (a Viacom entity). But Anil's Hollywood aspirations don't stop...