JOIN USHaving found an audience of its own in countries of Asia and Europe, Bollywood with its typical genre of dance and foot-tapping songs, and emphasis on family values is now striking up a new romance with the football crazy Latin American nation, Colombia.
Especially in a country affected by violence and drug trafficking, the family values displayed deeply in Bollywood films are giving some people in Colombia a hope in a different way of life, say Colombian Bollywood enthusiasts.
"Bollywood is not well known in Colombia but it over the last four or five years it has started to gain more and more fans. Social networking sites are playing a very important role in promoting Indian films and the local channels also telecast some Bollywood movies," says Claudia Vega, co-founder of 'Amigos de India' (Friends of India) association.
The Bogota-based association, which has received official support of the Embassy of India, carries out cultural activities and aims to promote friendship between India and Colombia.
'Amigos de India', which is the biggest Spanish speaking community promoting Indian culture, organises Bollywood dance shows to spread the typical genre in Colombia, says Claudia, who fell in love with Bollywood after watching Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit starrer 'Devdas' on a local TV channel.