Kumar's forthcoming *Blue* will see pop princess Minogue sing and dance to a special track composed by Oscar-winning music director, AR Rahman. At a press conference, the petite singer voiced her appreciation for all things Bollywood, saying: "Bollywood movies have always fascinated me and I was lucky that this project [*Blue*] fell into my lap."
A sum of Rs55m would certainly be considered lucky by most. But even as international talent is reportedly heading eastwards, critics are quick to caution that such 'gimmicks' will have box-office cash registers ringing only if a production is backed by a good script. Case in point was the Ali Larter-Salman Khan starrer *Marigold* (2007), which crashed so fast many doubt if the Heroes actress will ever pack her bags for Bollywood again. If this trend bears fruit long-term will be determined by the fate of *Kambhakt Ishq *and *Blue* at the international box-office and *Slumdog Millionaire *star Anil Kapoor thinks only good can come out this. "In the long run, this will create a lot of job opportunities for technicians at home. How can this be criticised?" *Is Kylie Minogue singing away recession blues in Bollywood?* *If anyone thought Bollywood was feeling blue as a result of the credit crisis, Kylie Minogue's appearance in Mumbai earlier this month showed the industry was still rolling in money; enough in fact to shelve out Rs55 million for a seven-minute song and dance 'item' number by the pop diva in the forthcoming movie Blue. Emirates Business caught up with the Aussie star, 40, to find out about her plans to do more work in Bollywood and her bonding sessions with Blueco-star Akshay Kumar. What made you sign on for a Bollywood film?* Well, I always wanted to do something in India. So when [director] Anthony D'Souza approached me, I just couldn't say no. Bollywood movies have always fascinated me and I was lucky that this project fell into my lap. I should thank Anthony for giving me this opportunity. I am waiting for *Blue* to release. When it does, I will watch it. It's a great plot and the characters are also very interesting. It's a bold attempt and I think it should be lauded. What's interesting is that even though I couldn't really understand the dialogues of the film, somehow, it just didn't matter because even watching the actors go about shooting for the film was such an experience. *But there are many cultural differences between India and the West. **Did that prove to be a hindrance?* Absolutely not. In fact, I would say my experience was amazing. See, there's not much difference between shooting for a Bollywood movie and for a music video. The only difference, as I see it, is the energy level. There are a lot more people on the sets here and the energy and enthusiasm you feel is also a lot more. Here people are so passionate about their work and that touches you in a certain way. I think I was just lucky to have got a chance to work with them. *What was it like working with Oscar-winning music director AR Rahman?* I met Rahman at the Bafta where I presented him the award for best film music. And then we met again to record the song for *Blue*. I find him a really good music director and the song we have done together is great.* *I am sure everyone will like it. *Will we be seeing more of you in India?* That's a tough one to answer at this point. Let's see how well my work in * Blue* is accepted. After that, who knows? *How would you describe your India experience?* The eight days that I spent here were great. My overriding memory of the country and its people is their warmth and professionalism. When I came here, I was a stranger. But now I feel like family here. I am definitely coming back. *Do you think Indian men are sexy? * Yes, but don't ask me for names. I'm not giving any (laughs). *What about your co-star Akshay Kumar?* He's a thorough gentleman. Men like him are rare and I am glad we got a chance to work together. *This year, Slumdog Millionaire swept most of the international awards. Do you think Hollywood will now be forced to take note of Bollywood ?* I am not sure I am the right person to answer that because I am not really Hollywood. But the things that are unfolding are interesting to watch. The fact that I came here to do a Hindi film shows this crossover could be the start of something. *(Noyon Jyoti Parasara – Sanskriti Media) * * http://www.business24-7.ae/articles/2009/4/pages/10042009/04112009_43391952f5a44d3695e377085c9de8ce.aspx * -- regards, Vithur
