Out of Character: Bollywood Goes for a Novel Narrative

Most mainstream Bollywood films tend to stick to a formula, reinforcing, good, clean, family values as white sari-clad heroines and dashing young heroes fall in love among fields of sunflowers.

But when 27-year-old Siddharth Anand got approval from producer Aditya Chopra to turn his screenplay into a film, the debutant director chose to push the envelope. Well, just a bit. In Salaam Namaste, the lead couple (played by Preity zinta and Saif Ali Khan) don't get married - they simply live together.

Not long ago, such a thing in a Bollywood film would have been scandalous. But times are changing. "We have to push the audience little by little," says Anand. "A live-in relationship isn't a big deal in Indian cities any more.

"As new directors, we have to push the envelope - but slowly. The film isn't provocative or scandalous. It's a young couple who live together. We're not there to shock anyone just for the heck of it. In fact, no one will be shocked by it in India. It's the NRI [non-resident Indian} market - the Indians who left India 20, 30 years ago and are still maintaining old standards. They need to see how far India has progressed."

Anand's family has a long association with Bollywood - his grandfather Indra Raj Anand was a screen writer in the 70s and is credited with about 120 films - but he turned overseas for inspiration.

"It came from F.R.I.E.N.D.S," he says. "When Star started showing the sitcoms around India, it was incredibly influential. They had the issues that youth did. I think audiences will recognise Monica, Ross and Joey-ish characters."

Big things are expected from Salaam Naamaste! Hong Kong 's Bollywood fans can see it at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Sunday.

The film has come out under the banner of Yash Raj, India's oldest and most successful film production company, which has recorded profits of more than 300 million rupees ($53 million) in the past two years.

"I had co-written Hum Tum [Me and You] and the film was last year's biggest hit for the company," Anand says. "I wanted a young film, but the team of writers I had were just not getting the language right, so I wrote the story and screenplay. I guess script writing is in my genes."

The title uses Muslim and Hindu greetings - leading some people to think the film will be a caste - conflict romance. But Anand says there are none of those cliches.

"I'm glad the title of the film is going to mislead people because they're in for a complete surprise then," he says. "There aren't any fighting parents, no rich and poor tales and no culture clashes. This is a simple, musical romance and the only conflict is the inner conflict between a couple.

"The reason older filmmakers are struggling now is because they haven't adapted to the times - unlike Yash Chopra, who's in his 70s and still makes the biggest success because he's kept up with social and economical changes, and the attitudes and intelligence of the urban audience."

By P.Ramakrishnan