BOLLYWOOD blockbuster Sarkar Raj, which premiered worldwide last weekend, is exactly the kind of movie the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) wants the world to see – an Indian film with a Hollywood sensibility and international appeal. The film is a sequel to the 2005 film "Sarkar," considered ahomage to the American classic "The Godfather," and is loosely based on the controversy around an Enron power plant built in India a decade ago. The drama stars celebrated husband and wife team Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan alongside Abhishek's father, legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan. Often hailed as the "queen of Bollywood", Rai, 34, married Bachchan last year, forging the ultimate Bollywood dynasty. Rai was crowned Miss World in 1994 and made her acting debut in 1997. She arrived on the international film scene in 2002 when “Devdas” had a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival. In Oct. 2004, her first foreign film, Bride and Prejudice - directed by Bend It Like Beckham's Gurinder Chadha - was released. In 2005, Rai embarked on a charm offensive in the United States - featuring on the Late Show with David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey and CBS's 60 Minutes. But a major international hit continues to elude her.
