The UK's first Bollywood acting school has opened in west London, training performers to become the next generation of movie stars.
The school, based in Ealing, is a spin-off from the prestigious Actor Prepares academy in Mumbai, India. Bollywood star Anupam Kher is among actors and film-makers teaching the intensive three-month course. He said: "To me anybody who lies can act." Student Anu Singh said: "He has already got somebody crying, it was amazing."
London's Actor Prepares school aims to teach 100 students per year, all from the UK or US.
Mr Kher, who has performed in 376 movies including Bend It Like Beckham, said he would encourage students to avoid the Bollywood cliche of over-acting. "Acting styles have changed in India and abroad," he said.
"Today I think the audience is much more different because of the onslaught of satellite channels, we have 134 channels, we have malls, we have multiplexes. "The audience is no longer sitting at the edge of the seat and looking at Indian movies. They are relaxed and they say, 'let's see what you have done'." The school is a partnership between Actor Prepares, Ealing Institute of Media and regeneration agency Heathrow City Partnership.
Mr Kher said he would like it to become a "springboard" to launch similar schools around the world.
Schools in Durban and Sydney are also planned.
Source: BBC News
