India’s hugely-popular Hindi film industry, otherwise known as Bollywood, has yet another
India’s hugely-popular Hindi film industry, otherwise known as Bollywood, has yet another box office hit – in a film that combines elements of Tamil culture and language.
“Chennai Express” is Bollywood’s latest blockbuster movie.
Made with US$13 million, it crossed the US$25-million mark in ticket sales after just five days.
Chugging along with its success is lead actor, Shahrukh Khan.
The Bollywood heart-throb plays the role of Rahul, a north Indian man from Mumbai.
He has to travel to a small town in south Indian province of Tamil Nadu to fulfill his grandfather’s last wish to have his ashes immersed in the holy water of Rameshwaram.
Along the way, he meets a Tamil girl, falls in love with her and they embark on a series of adventures.
Khan said: “I like the whole idea of bringing a love and a comedy story together, which has a situation in which we do not understand each other and our love prospers and we find out that love conquers everything.”
Many scenes were filmed in south India and Tamil language is often used in the romantic action comedy.
Deepika Padukone, who plays Meenalochini Sundaram, is a south Indian from Karnataka.
She chose to work alongside Khan in Chennai Express after her successful debut with him six years ago.
She said: “After the release of ‘Om Shanti Om’, he always said that whatever we do next has to be as special as ‘Om Shanti Om’ and if not more and I am glad that ‘Chennai Express’ finally happened to the two of us.”
“Chennai Express” has already proved itself a runaway success. Now, all eyes will be on the next Hindi-Tamil fusion movie coming out of Bollywood – the political thriller “Madras Cafe”. It’s expected to be released at the end of August.