From Hollywood with love (and money) ; America's biggest studios are shaking and stirring the Indian market with exclusive releases and local co-productions.

Do I look like I give a damn?

James Bond (Daniel Craig) to a bartender who asks him if he wantshis Martini shaken or stirred, in Casino Royale.

Agent 007 is changing. right from the early Bond flicks, one ofthe evergreen lines on most occasions mouthed by Bond has been:

A vodka Martini...shaken, not stirred , or a variation of it.Until Casino Royale two years ago, when Bond breaks the mould anddisplays his disinterest in what was once his favourite tipple. Inthe latest Bond caper, Quantum of Solace, Agent 007 doesn't evenhave his favourite introductory line:

Bond. James Bond . Not around any more too are the gadgets(exploding attache cases, bowler hats with a metal disc et al), and'Q,' who would equip Bond with those outrageous gizmos.

Bond has changed. He may not give a damn about his Martinis anylonger, but he sure gives a damn about his Indian fans. So much sothat Sony Pictures is bringing Commander Bond in Quantum of Solaceto India on November 7, a week before the film debuts in NorthAmerica. Who knows, the line,Oh the things I do for England , fromYou Only Live Twice, may well be replaced byOh the things I do forIndia , in Bond flicks to come.

If Indian audiences get to witness Bond's latest hijinks beforetheir American counterparts (the British still get the first glimpseof their home-grown secret agent, on October 31), it's with goodreason. Hollywood studios are embarking on emerging markets forhigher growth. Not only have they begun to release filmssimultaneously in India and the US (or, as in the case ofQuantum..., first in India), they're also looking to co-producefilms in India in local languages as well as with Hollywood stars,studios, technicians, directors and producers. Cross-culturalcasting coups, like Naseeruddin Shah and Sadie Frost in Shoot onSight, a film by Arun Govil, have become the order of the day.Hollywood films may still make up only 5-6 per cent of total boxoffice revenues, but clearly the country's demographic profile,increasing consumption and rising aspirations make India a marketripe for western entertainment fare (which can be localised andscreened in the country's burgeoning multiplex chains). Says VijaySingh, CEO, Fox Star Studios, a joint venture between STAR TV andFox Studios:

There are huge opportunities in the Indian film space. Revenuesare likely to double from the current $2.2 to $4.4 billion (Rs10,780-21,560 crore) by 2011.

Adds Farokh Balsara, Partner and Head of Media and EntertainmentPractice at Ernst&Young:

Hollywood is taking note of the fact that India and China aremarkets for the future. It is a deliberate growth strategy forHollywood Studios to look at expansion beyond their home markets. Areverse crossover is taking place.

Indeed, the spotlight on India was cast much before the shadow ofrecession loomed over the US in the wake of the subprime crisis. AsSanford Panitch, President, Fox International Productions, pointsout, Hollywood may not feel the brunt of declining consumerspending.

"It's the entertainment and movie business that tends to do wellin difficult times," says Panitch. It's expectations of brighterprospects in markets like India that persuaded Rupert Murdoch'sTwentieth Century Fox to finally flag off its Asian operation,called Fox Star Studios, to produce and co-produce Asian languageand Bollywood films in October. The Mumbai headquartered jointventure between two News Corp.-owned companies has announced amultipicture deal with one of Bollywood's ace Producer-DirectorVipul Shah. To begin with there are two projects: A contemporaryromantic comedy, and a visual effects-driven fantasy action movie.

Fox is a relatively late entrant into India. But the likes ofSony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) India, The Walt Disney Company andWarner Bros. Pictures India, who began by distributing Hollywoodfilms, have steadily moved into production as well. SPE India wasthe first to tap Bollywood with the extravagant co-production,Saawariya. Although that film didn't set the cash registers ringing,SPE India has plans to co-invest in a clutch of Hindi films, inalliance with Eros International, an integrated Indian Media companyinvolved in the production, acquisition and distribution of filmedentertainment content across all platforms.

Warner Bros. Pictures India, which has partnered with RameshSippy Entertainment and Orion Pictures, is readying to release itsfirst co-production, Chandni Chowk to China. Warner has also forayedinto the animation genre with an untitled film directed by JyotinGoel and produced by Geol Screencraft. The Walt Disney CompanyIndia's first Indian animation film Roadside Romeo, a co-productionwith Yash Raj Films, is awaiting release. As Siddharth Roy Kapur,CEO, UTV Motion Pictures, puts it:

"Typically, Hollywood Studios have been present in India foryears as distributors of their own films. But now to survive, thesestudios have to grow their pie in markets outside of the US."

To grow that pie, Hollywood is pretty clear that it has to marrywith Bollywood.

"For any international studios to participate in India's filmentertainment growth story, you have to make Indian films," explainsPanitch."

We are committed to building relationships in Bollywood and hopeto add value to the creative production process. However, we willtake a cautious but a committed approach to the business in Indiaand across Asia," he adds. To be sure, it's not just Bollywood.

read Hindi films.

that is luring the big studios. Warner Bros. Pictures India isthe first Hollywood house to announce its plans to co-produce filmsin the south with superstar Rajinikanth's daughter SoundaryaRajinikanth's company Ocher Studios. Three projects have alreadybeen finalised.

"Given Soundarya and Ocher Studios' creative skills and deepunderstanding of the Southern film market and our marketing anddistribution network, this is a perfect synergy," says BlaiseFernandes, Country Head for Warner Bros. Pictures India. Any bets onBond turning teetotaller and learning to brew the best South Indiancoffee in the years to come?

Sony pictures entertainment Has co-produced Saawariya with SanjayLeela Bhansali and has announced an alliance with Eros Internationalto co-invest in Hindi films.

Warner Bros. Pictures Recently distributed and released its firstHindi film Saas Bahu Aur Sensex. It is currently co-producing itsfirst Hindi film Chandni Chowk to China with Ramesh SippyProductions and Orion Pictures. Has entered into an exclusive, multi-picture deal with Soundarya Rajinikanth's Ocher Studios forproduction and distribution of films in Tamil, Telugu and otherSouth Indian languages.

The Walt Disney company Set to release the first of threeanimation co-productions with Yash Raj Films, called Roadside Romeo.Also planning a quartet of live-action features under its localbanner, Walt Disney Pictures India. The first project is The 19thStep, which revolves around the ancient Indian martial arts formKalaripayattu and stars leading South Indian actor Kamal Haasan. Thesecond film, Zokkomon, is a children's tale.

Twentieth Century Fox Has set up a joint venture with Star TV inAsia, called Fox Star Studios, to produce and co-produce Asianlanguage and Bollywood films. Has signed a multi-film deal withleading Bollywood producer Vipul Shah. Through Fox Search Lights ithas partnered UTV in India for Hollywood films such as The Namesakeand I Think I Love My Wife and with Fox for Night Shyamalan's TheHappening.