Bollywood Comes to Berlin

The biggest movie star in the world gave a press conference today and although the festival programers have given the film a prime slot in its program, the media in attendance was pretty sparse. No, it wasn't Tom Cruise or Daniel Day-Lewis, but Shah Rukh Khan. Bollywood long surpased Hollywood as the largest film factory in the world. "Om Shanti Om", directed by Farah Khan and produced by the star, is at once a romantic film and a tribute to the memory of 70s Bollywood. In an endless series of flashbacks, the film tells the story of how the main character, Om Kapoor, manages to remember his past life and avenge the death of his beloved.

When asked if Khan might one day entertain the notion of barncrashing western films, particularly Hollywood he replied, "I am brown. I don't speak English very well. I am 42." He noted that opening at the Berlinale "...gives us the perfect launch for release. I think it will open up the market in Europe."

--Rita