More Bollywood stars make headway in Hollywood films
MUMBAI: Bollywood stars have been able to crack open the US market with increasing ease, thanks to the bellwether blockbuster Slumdog Millionaire ( 2008) starring the likes of Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto.
But even more crucial for Hollywood is the fact that it is delivering more box office hits in the Indian sub- continent. Having an Indian actor on board guarantees press coverage, buzz, and a huge opening.
Last year, we had Irrfan Khan appearing alongside Tom Hanks in Inferno, Priyanka Chopra creating the buzz on the television screen with Quantico, AR Rahman’s track ‘Ginga’ from Pele competing for a spot in the final nominations at Oscars among few other big-ticket appearances by Indian celebs globally.
The trend is expected to grow stronger this year.
Bollywood actress Richa Chadha, Frieda Pinto and veteran Anupam Kher will be seen alongside Demi Moore in David Womark’s Love Sonia. The film traces the brutal realities of human trafficking across the globe and has been shot in Mumbai and Los Angeles.
Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu Yoga has Sonu Sood, Disha Patani and Amyra Dastur share the screen space in this Indo- Chinese production releasing in four languages – English, Hindi,
Last year, we had Irrfan Khan appearing alongside Tom Hanks in Inferno, Priyanka Chopra creating the buzz on the television screen with Quantico, AR Rahman’s track ‘Ginga’ from Pele competing for a spot in the final nominations at Oscars among few other big-ticket appearances by Indian celebs globally.
Tamil and Telugu on Feb 3.
Critically- acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan will be seen playing a lead in a Bangladeshi drama biopic Doob: No Bed of Roses. He will also be seen in Salman Khan Productions’ historical film entitled Lions Of The Sea, based on the 1914 incident when the Japanese ship Kamagata Maru sailed with over 349 Sikh passengers to Canada but was denied entry.
After his Bollywood debut Ranjhana, National award winner Dhanush will be seen in an international project costarring Uma Thurman. The film is an adaptation of the bestselling French novel ‘ The Extraordinary Journey Of A Fakir Who Got Trapped In An Ikea Wardrobe’.
Ali Fazal played a flashy character in his Hollywood debut Fast and Furious 7 and has now bagged a role alongside Judi Dench in Victoria and Abdul. He will be playing the title role of Karim, a young servant from India who became an unlikely confidant to Queen Victoria.
Hollywood and Bollywood collaborations can only get better from here, with more wallets being opened for tickets at the box office in India, even though New Delhi’s demonetisation has been weighing heavy on the minds of many blindsided moviegoers.