GO: CINEMA: Austen's Bollywood makeover.

Bride & Prejudice (12A)

STARS: Aishwarya Rai, Namrata Shirodkar, Naveen Andrews, Martin Henderson

DIRECTOR: Gurinder Chadha BOLLYWOOD films are increasing in popularity in the UK all the time, regularly appearing in the weekly box office chart.

However, these films, which run the gamut from musical romances to action thrillers, have yet to cross over fully into the mainstream.

Award-winning writer-director Chadha, who scored an international smash hit with the culture clash comedy Bend It Like Beckham, tries to remedy the situation with this lavish musical update of Jane Austen's novel.

Bride & Prejudice transplants the classic tale of marriages and manners to modern-day India, England and America, punctuating the giddy affairs of the heart with spectacular, colour-drenched dance sequences.

In a small town in the Indian countryside, Mr and Mrs Bakshi make plans to marry off their four daughters.

The lovely Jaya (Shirodkar) falls madly in love with exceedingly wealthy Balraj Bingley (Andrews), who is equally taken with her.

Sparks fly, even more so when Balraj's good friend, Will Darcy (Henderson), sees Jaya's headstrong sister, Lalita (Rai).

It's lust at first sight but Lalita is far from impressed by Darcy's blinkered, western outlook on life and his reluctance to immerse himself in the ebb and flow of her country's ancient culture.

Instead, she falls under the spell of a rogue, whose energy is in stark contrast to Darcy's stuffy ways.

Bride & Prejudice boasts all of Chadha's trademarks, including earthy cross-generational humour, acid-tongued matriarchs and a feelgood finale.

The film's production design is glorious and Bollywood tradition is fused into this distinctly western treatment.

FILM RATING: 4 STAR