Salman's Hollywood debut 'Marigold' releases worldwide today

New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) Salman will be seen romancing Hollywood actor Ali Larter in cinema screens across India, the United States, United Kindom and Canada as Willard Carroll's 'Marigold', Salman much-awaited debut Hollywood venture, releases across the World today.

The release of 'Marigold, simultaneously in India, the UK, US and Canada, comes five years after Bollywood-Hollywood production was launched. The delay in the release of 'Marigold', shooting for which began way back in 2003 after Australia's Becker Intl. boarded it in 2003, happened because the film could not find a distributor for its release in India. Finally, Adlabs films, which have co-financed the film with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Export Development Canada through a co-production arrangement with Firewall Ent, took up the film for distribution, paving way for its release in the country as well as in the US, UK and Canada. In the US, 'Marigold' will release on 55 screens in areas with concentration of South Asians.

Later, it will be released in 50 or more mainstream theatres on September 7.

A musical romantic comedy about a young American woman who travels to India and finds that her life is transformed in the most unexpected ways by her experiences and adventures here, 'Marigold' features Hollywood actor Ali Larter (famous for her portrayal of alter ego Niki Sanders in "Heroes") in the title role of Marigold with Salman playing the Bollywood choreographer Prem with whom she falls in love during her stay in India.

Written and directed by Willard Carroll, known for Hollywood films like 'Playing by Heart' and 'The Brave Little Toaster', 'Marigold' is the story of American B-movie actress Marigold Lexton, whose career is fading. Lexton loses her luggage and is trapped in Goa without a return ticket when the movie she was to star in loses its Hollywood financing and shuts down.

Besides Salman and Ali Larter, 'Marigold' also stars Nandana Sen in a key role along with Suchitra Pillai, Helen, Vikas Bhalla and Gulshan Grover apart from numerous other actors from the West.

A special feature of the film, which is being released both in the English and the Hindi versions, is that it has songs in English and Hindi with lyrics by Javed Akhtar and Shari Watson.

The songs of the movie, which has music direction by Shankar Ehsaan Loy, have been sung by Shaan and Shankar Mahadevan.

Trade observers say that 'Marigold', which is said to be inspired by Abbas Mastan's 'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke,' is the writer-director Willard Carroll's attempt to merge Indian and western cultures through the love story of Marigold and Prem.

The film, shot in Jodhpur and coastal Maharashtra in 2003, is being seen in film trade circles as a perfect crossover vehicle for Salman Khan, who has, over the past decade, established himself as a heartthrobs of millions of cinegoers in India through films like 'Saajan', 'Maine Pyar Kiya', 'Andaaz Apna Apna', Tere Naam', 'Mujhse Shadi Karogi', 'Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya', 'Lucky-No Time For Love', 'No Entry' and the most recent 'Partner.' For Salman, whose popularity in the overseas markets has seen a considerable rise over the last several years - as evidenced by the overseas success of his films like 'Mujhse Shaadi karogi', 'Maine Pyar Kyon kiya', 'No Entry' and, most recently 'Partner'- the release of 'Mariold' is definitely a feather in his cap.

With 'Marigold', 'Salman has become the first among the Bollywood's Khan trio, of Aamir, Shahrukh and Salman, to make his debut in a Hollywood venture. Infact, Ali Larter, Salman's co-star in the film has been effusive in her praise for the actor.

Talking about her experiences of working with the Bollywood teenage heartthrob, Ali Larter said,''during the shooting of the film, Salman was a sweet and generous host. He used to send his car to take me wherever I wanted to go.'' Contrary to what is said in the media about Salman, Larter is full of praise for his generosity. ''When we were shooting, these long lines of people would show up, just waiting to see Salman. He'd hand out money for people's surgery, and stuff like that. His generosity is limitless,''she says.

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