India’s Cultural Invasion of the West: First Curry, Then Saris, Next Bollywood Films

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MUMBAI, INDIA, May 19, 2002: Until May 26, a corner of London’s Oxford Street will look like Madhuri Dixit. Gaudy saris and bawdy sets have transformed century-old department store Selfridges into an Indian film set as part of a “23 Days of Bollywood” store promotion. Nearby, you can dine at celebrity chef Kuldeep Singh’s, new eatery — Chowky. British film Institute’s biggest-ever festival, ImaginAsia, is staging hundreds of events around the UK. In June, the Victoria and Albert Museum unveils “The Art of Bollywood,” and across town, A. R. Rehman launches his new musical extravaganza with Andrew Lloyd Weber, “Bombay Dreams.” The surge is sweeping the US too. Anil Ki Awaz plays on 96.1 FM in the Bay Area of California, while henna tattoos and Indian food draw large lines at local fairs across the country.