Hollywood babes in bollywood

We love our white-skinned babes. Whether making those sexy moves behind the hero in a song or mouthing a few lines in actual scenes, Bollywood loves to have international faces around.

While most of them are dancers mostly from East Europe and UK and tourists from downtown Mumbai, there are some small-time names which have featured in the credit rolls, hyped up to pull in the crowds.

It's a different matter that once they fly out of India they are forgotten like last night's news.

But producers are slowly looking at justifying their presence in our films. Lately the most prominent faces have been Barbara Mori in Kites and Denise Richards who will be seen opposite Akshay Kumar in Kambakth Ishq.




Alice Patten :

The Videsi factor : Now this one's no pin up model. Alice Patten, daughter of former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten has been a part of the Hamlet stage adaptation.

She is currently cast in the BBC Mini Series Heroes and Villains.

Her Indian summer : As the British filmmaker Su, who ignites the patriotic spirit in Aamir Khan and co, Alice had a meaty part in the film Rang De Basanti .

Thankfully, she was allowed to keep her accent natural so neither the Hindi nor the English seemed forced. And as an added bonus for working in an Aamir Khan project, she even gets to smooch the star. Don't remember? Go back to your DVD collection.




Shannon Esra :

The Videsi factor : The South African actress is a promising face on the local theatre & TV circuit. She is currently part of the award winning South African TVseries Hard Copy in which she plays an entertainment reporter

Her Indian summer : Shannon starred opposite Govinda in Nikhil Advani's Salaam E Ishq. The few, who have seen the film, will vouch for her natural portrayal of a Canadian tourist who's come looking for her boyfriend in Rajasthan.

Surprisingly she fit quite well into the Bollywood groove. Watch her screaming out the choicest of Punjabi abuses in the climax scene or dancing with Chi Chi in a ghagra-choli.

Even co-stars Priyanka Chopra and Ayesha Takia could take a few acting lessons from Shannon.





Brande Rodericks :

The Videsi factor : The former Playmate got her big break in the international smash hit Baywatch, where she played Leigh Dyer. And in 2001 Playboy named her as the 'Playmate of the Year'.

She's done parts in films like The Nanny Diaries, but Playboy remains her claim to fame.

Her Indian summer :Vashu Bhagnani must be a big Baywatch fan – Maybe that's why he actually bet crores on a romantic comedy Out Of Control starring Riteish Deshmukh and Rodericks.

Playing a stripper must have come naturally to Brande - But for how long can you suffer a blonde saying 'Namaste' and 'I Love Bollywood' in every second line?



Tania Zaetta :

The Videsi factor : Another Baywatch beauty caught the fancy of our Bollywood big daddies. Tania's biggest claim to fame is hosting the reality show Who Dares Wins on Channel 7.

Now the film offers seem to have dried up in all continents, but Tania manages to stay in the news through her real life adventures such as the Afghanistan Military Base controversy.

Her Indian summer :Tania was cast in not one but two Yash Raj projects. No mean achievement, considering most of our leading ladies can't claim to have such an average.

In both Bunty Aur Babli and Salaam Namaste she was cast as a dumb blonde to provide the laughs. Her most recent tryst with Bollywood was the disastrous comedy Mr. Black Mr. White.





Rachel Shelly :

The Videsi factor : The English actress was primarily into theatre and television before Ashutosh Gowariker's Lagaan happened. Her most recent appearance was on the American series Ghost Whisperer.

Her Indian summer : Cast as Elizabeth Russel in teh film, Rachel had a meatier part than Lagaan's leading lady, Gracy Singh. As she trains Bhuvan's 11 in the gentleman's game she ends up falling in love with him.

But after the cricket match gets over, she returns to the queen's land and never looks back at India. In real life Bollywood has never looked back at her.




Ali Larter :

The Videsi factor : Ali Larter is best known for her role as Niki Sanders in the cult sci-fi series Heroes.

She's not been so lucky in Hollywood, as most of her appearances have been cameos in films like Resident Evil Extinction and Legally Blonde.

Her Indian summer : Larter was cast opposite Salman Khan in his over hyped Hollywood flick Marigold. Larter played a small time Hollywood actress who comes to Bollywood to salvage her career.

While all the Indian actors were talking in some strange accent, Larter was perhaps the only one who's English made any sense.





Barbara Mori :

The Videsi factor : The Latino model got her big break in the Mexican TV Series Rubi. But till now her work has been limited to local Mexican TV networks and films.

Her Indian summer : Mori is cast opposite Hrithik Roshan in the Anurag Basu directed Kites. The Roshans are pegging this as an international project.

And if the entire pre-release buzz is to be believed Mori will be seen in an extremely sensuous dare-to-bare part.

Recently, there were talks about Hrithik and Barbara sharing a steamy smooch in one of the scenes of the film, something papa Roshan is not too happy about.





Denise Richards :

The Videsi factor : Brosnan's Bond girl from The World Is Not Enough is a popular face on various 'World's Most Sexiest Women' polls.

Charlie Sheen's ex-wife and favourite target of critics and razzies, Denise has now gone back to her first love, television.

Her Indian summer : Denise has reportedly been roped in by Sajid Nadiadwala to star opposite Akshay Kumar in Kambakth Ishq.

And it's no ordinary role, as competing with her for Akshay's attention is none other Kareena Kapoor. This is one Holly Babe Vs Bebo contest every man would dream of.