Tashkent se aaya mera dost, he wants a bit of Bollywood

Speaking in chaste Hindi, the official from Uzbekistan goes around looking for films to buy and, if possible, production tie-ups with Indian filmmakers.

Kasimov, who represents TV and Broadcasting Company of Uzbekistan, paid $1,000 to get a stall at IFFI’s Bazaar 34. Back home in Tashkent, at the two movie halls Hindustan and Bombay, Hindi movies are screened regularly and run to packed houses.

Aamir Khan’s Lagaan was a runaway hit because ‘‘it is good, wholesome entertainment’’. ‘‘We don’t want serious, brooding stuff. Gaana and bajaana is what we are looking for,’’ says Kasimov, attributing the success of Hindi films to a shared history.

His favourites? ‘‘Sridevi and Amitabh Bachchan—no can can come close to them in Adaakari. She’s the favourite of my generation,’’ he says as he trains his handycam on actor-director Kamal Hasan.

Perhaps, they taught him the language. He learnt Hindi from movies and, later learnt to read and write it with self-help books. He says with sadness that co-productions between India and Uzbekistan (then part of USSR) stopped after three blockbuster films—Alibaba Aur 40 Chor, Shikaari and Ajooba.

‘‘Those were the golden moments of friendship between the two countries,’’ says Kasimov. ‘‘After all, our ties go far back to Babar,’’ he reminds you. Kasimov thinks it is the three Khans who are bringing the crowds to the theatres.

‘‘After dubbing Shah Rukh Khan’s Chalte Chalte and Aamir Khan’s Lagaan in the local language, we want to see more masala Indian films in theatres,’’ he says.

While the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is hoping to rekindle ties with countries from the former USSR, the National Film Development Council, which finances and markets films, is focusing on China and Japan. But Kasimov is optimistic and sees a lot of business opportunities in films.