A hot summer in the offing

It's going to be a 'hot' summer for Bollywood buffs. As the big vacation months set in, the Hindi film industry has lined up a sizzling array that solely aims at garnering interest with sexuality, cutting across genres. To start with, Bipasha Basu gives a twist to her hot image with nine sexy looks in Pankh, which opened this week. Bipasha is cast in the role of a seductress who exists only in the imagination of a confused boy much younger than her. 

The risque factor about Bipasha's role has her seduce the boy and mouth cuss words. There's also a gay kiss in the film. 'Indians were always open about sexuality but things changed with the advent of Victorian double standards. Now, film lovers are accepting it again. Plus, a lot of credit goes to the changing mindset of the censor board,' says Pankhdirector Sudipto Chattopadhyay.

Surely, Bollywood has never been bolder. The bikini has emerged as the new symbol of boldness, as have on-screen kisses. Lined up for release on April 30 is Sajid Khan's comedy Housefull, which has made news because its three heroines Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta and Jiah Khan are sporting bikinis in a highlight song. On May 21, Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori are set to get into the dare bare mode with Anurag Basu's Kites, touted by many as possibly the biggest film of this year. 'If boldness is depicted aesthetically, it is not an issue,' says Housefull director Sajid.'As far as the bikini goes, they have been around since Sharmila Tagore wore one in An Evening In Paris. 

They ensure hype but do not guarantee success.' Says Dibakar Banerjee, whose Love Sex Aur Dhokha created waves thanks to its explicit treatment of sex: 'In the current urban set-up, consumerism means giving out sexual signals to sell just about anything. Even when you use a woman's eyes to sell something, at its core there's a sexual signal.

Probably that's why the makers of Vivek Oberoi's upcoming action thriller Prince have packed in enough sexy clips in the promos. Liberal scenes of Vivek kissing both his leading ladies - Aruna Shields and Neeru Singh, suitably clad in bikinis are interspersed with action shots. Trade analyst Vinod Mirani says young people are getting bolder in real life, so reel life can't be different.

'The competition from Hollywood works as a catalyst too,' he adds. Among forthcoming scorchers is also Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai, a rom com that has Jacqueline Fernandez cavorting in a bikini, besides featuring a porn video titled The Return Of The Pink Pussycatsin portions. 'There's mischief in these scenes that should go down well with viewers,' says the film's director Milap Zaveri. Concludes Dibakar: 'I don't think Bollywood has any specific attitude Films reflect the popular attitude. Society is waking up to sexuality inspired by the West.'