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| Edited By: Uttara Choudhury |Source: DNA |Updated: Dec 29, 2010, 11:22 PM IST
A lavish, over-the-top Bollywood influenced telenovela made in Brazil called India, focusing on a forbidden love affair between a successful US-educated Dalit businessman and a Brahmin woman, is shaping up as the biggest hit on America’s vast Spanish-language network.
The series filmed in India, Dubai and Brazil using the Taj Mahal and forts and palaces of Rajasthan as magnificent backdrops, was originally titled Camin das Indias (Road to India). The serial received an international Emmy. Florida-headquartered TeleFutura, which broadcasts to 62.9 million US homes, sprang for the hit show this year bringing it to America’s Spanish-speaking audience. Russia, Romania and other Baltic countries including Lativia have also snapped up India which has more melodrama in one episode than an entire season of Gossip Girl.
“There is such a growing fascination with Indian culture in the US. It felt like a natural move to expand the Indian phenomenon into the Hispanic US community,” Bert Medina, the network’s senior vice president and operating manager, told the Los Angeles Times.
India has averaged 9,00,000 viewers since October, often outperforming rival US Spanish network Telemundo. India features tanned, dark-haired Brazilian actors speaking in Portuguese with smatterings of Hindi. The serial has been dubbed into Spanish for TeleFutura and offers captions in English.
“This lavish India-themed serial produced by a Brazilian telenovela maker has struck a chord with global audiences. It could crack open a new market for India-themed TV serials,” media analyst Travis Walker told DNA.
Danny Boyle’s Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire as well as the $1.2 billion deal between India’s Reliance and DreamWorks has raised the profile of India on Hollywood and on the US small screen.
India-themed comedies have made their presence felt on US television this year with Nirvana at Fox and Outsourced at NBC.
A US version of British comedy The Kumars at No. 42, about an immigrant Indian family, is also reportedly poised for revival.
Most successful American shows launched in the past five years feature a prominent Indian actor. Anil Kapoor featured in 24 while many other serials have Indian cast members.
