London, June 21: Bollywood queen, an all-singing, all-dancing Bollywood film shot in London's east end by British director James Wooding will have its world premiere in Mumbai later this year. The dialogue of the film is in English and the story is a contemporary take on Romeo and Juliet. Preeya Kalidas, 22, the hottest Anglo-Indian actress in London, who has just stepped down after 12 months as a lead in Bombay Dreams, the musical produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, plays the lead role in the movie. Wooding, who is a serious student of Bollywood, has worked with Kalidas since she was 17. In her late teens she made a short film with him called sari and trainers whose story has been turned into the 3.5 million pounds Bollywood Queen.
Distributors of the film hope that Bollywood Queen may be the next big British-Asian success after east is east and bend it like Beckham. Wooding's film borrows heavily from the commercial Hindi film style, with nine song and dance numbers, although it is set in the east end.
Wooding said, "The best song and dance number is against the background of Leadenhall market in the city." An NRI girl, Geena, played by Kalidas, dumps her dull and money-minded Indian Fiancee, Dilip (Ronnie Jhutti), for her true English Love, Jay (James McAvoy). Relatives on both sides disapprove.
Bureau Report