BOLLYWOOD MUSIC IN MAINSTREAM
A move in the right direction

What would Bollywood be like without a heavy dose of song and dance? It's almost like asking what Bert would be like without Ernie, or Adam without Eve. They simply belong together. Bollywood wouldn't be the same without the boy meeting girl on screen and using melodious music to express their undying love for each other (it sounds melodramatic, but hey, this is Bollywood).

Even the NRI market has given Bollywood music a special place in their hearts. You can walk down any high street in one of the UK's many 'Asian areas', and the chances are that you will hear the sound of Bollywood blasting out on full volume from the local Sari shop or Indian take away.

The latest fad to hit the young and trend Asian community is Bollywood style theme nights in bars and clubs. One of the most successful around is Bar Bollywood in London, which attracts a surprisingly multicultural crowd each and every week, who hit the dance floor and test out the latest filmi dance moves. Heck, even if you don't have a clue about the dance moves, they have an instructor on hand to show you the way!

It's enough to make the mainstream realise that they have a potential goldmine on their hands. Record company Telstar are one of the first to actually do something about it. They are all set to release a 'Best of Bollywood' compilation album in music shops throughout the UK. For around £15, you will be treated with a double CD brimming with over thirty of the most popular Bollywood songs in recent times. Everything from Hain Aapke Hai Koun, Mohabbatein, Dil To Pagal Hai and Zubeidaa all get a feature. It's a wise move indeed from the record company, considering over 3 million Indian people in the UK, and they are not the only people who may have an interest in the album. To make sure 'The Best of Bollywood' is promoted to as many people as possible, our British readers can expect to watch advertisements in programmes such as The Bill, News At Ten and Coronation Street.

Whether the album makes it big is another question. Because it's the first time a mainstream record label is trying to promote Bollywood music, we don't know what the reaction will be. One thing is for sure, Bollywood is heading closer and closer towards the mainstream, and this is definitely a move in the right direction!

WRITTEN BY ROBEEL HAQ