Bollywood dance is popular in Bangkok: Thai actress

The Bollywood song and dance culture has been making waves in the US for a long time. Now, if Thai actress Mamee Nakprasite is to be believed, people in Bangkok are also picking up the trend.

Having participated in the recently held Bollywood Film Festival in Bangkok, Mamee is a self-confessed admirer of Bollywood. She followed her jig with an Indian dance number in the on-going "Superstar Reality TV Show" back home.

"Bollywood dance has become pretty popular in Bangkok, and there are many teachers there... I’m also happy that many people liked the Bollywood dance I did for the 'Superstar Reality TV Show',” she said in a statement.

“I was (also) excited to wear a sari and do a Bollywood dance at the opening of the Bollywood film festival in Bangkok last month. But it was not easy. I practised a lot,” she added.

Mamee is in India for the Asian premiere of her Thai-American film “Bitter Sweet” at the ongoing Mumbai Film Festival (MFF) here. The actress is excited about her trip.

“It (Mumbai) is the centre for Bollywood films and I’m so excited. I want to go shopping, sightseeing, eating. And yes, it will be great if I can attend a class of Bollywood dancing,” she said.

Asked if she is also hoping to land a Bollywood role, she said: “I've seen some Bollywood movies, but can't remember their names... (but) I'd love to do a Bollywood film, if I got an offer.”

Directed by Jeff Hare, “Bitter Sweet” stars Kip Pardue, Spencer Garret and James Brolin apart from Mamee. Singer Tata Young makes a cameo in the film.

Mamee said she was nervous acting with actors like Pardue and Brolin.

“I was (nervous), as I’ve never acted with such big Hollywood stars before,” she said.

Did the English dialect come easy to the actress?

“It was not, and I practised a lot. But I guess nothing is difficult, if you spend time on it and I’m really glad I spent a lot of time learning to speak English, as it’s much easier now to do more international films,” she said.

Made at a $5 million budget, the romantic drama was shot in the coffee plantations of Krabi island in Thailand. Mamee says the film will open doors to tourism in her country.

“It is a good promotion for Krabi, as not many people know of it, and I’m sure many people would like to visit it after seeing the film. There are many places equally amazing in Thailand that not many people know about,” she said.

Mamee is one of the versatile actresses on the Thai screen, who has done 12 films, including some international productions. Her last film “The Coffin”, a horror-drama, was screened at the 2008 Cannes festival.

Last updated on Nov 4^th, 2009 at 16:07 pm IST--IANS