Mumbai: India has had little luck at the Oscars but Hollywood studios are making a beeline for the country.
For years Bollywood filmmakers have been inspired by Hollywood films. But with films like Lagaan and Black, the West finally seems to have taken note of Indian cinema.
Following the unanimously gushing reviews and encouraging box-office earned by Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black, Hollywood studio Columbia Tristar recently decided to bankroll the filmmaker's next project, Saawariya.
This will be the first Hindi film to be produced by a leading American studio giant.
The studio's Vice-Chairman Gareth Wigan, currently on a visit to Mumbai, says they're looking at making more investments in India.
"We are looking to make three to four films a year in India. We want to make the kind of films that India makes," Wigan said.
Reacting to Bollywood's disappointment at not landing an Oscar nomination for Paheli, Wigan says this shouldn't bother India because studios like Columbia Tristar are looking at the country as the biggest market in the fiture.
"How many films has China sent? You guys are not doing anything wrong," Wigan added.
This is a significant visit because it shows for the first time how integral India could be in future production plans of Columbia Tristar.
Among the people Wigan has met during his three-day visit are superstar Amitabh Bachchan, directors Yash and Aditya Chopra, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and some of the biggest stars of the film industry.
Next up, he says, are Hollywood productions in India, perhaps with Hollywood directors.
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