Australia and Bollywood join forces

Australia is a highly sought-after location for the world's biggest film industry and the desire to be involved in it has spawned a new reality TV show, Bollywood Star.

The film industry in India is twice the size of Hollywood, producing over 1,000 films a year.

The audience of Bollywood films is massive, pulling in more than 3.5 billion viewers around the world. Now Australia is playing a leading role.

The Australian connection to Bollywood has an impressive pedigree.

Perth-born Mary Ann Evans became known as Fearless Nadia in the 1930s and was a trailblazer in the industry-taking one of the first female leads.

Since then, the celluloid bond with India has only strengthened.

Iconic Australian backdrops are proving to be a major drawcard so it really is possible to be part of a Bollywood film without ever having set foot in India.

Anupam Sharma heads local film company Temple and is a judge on Bollywood Star.

"For me the dream would be when we find a Bollywood star for an Australian Bollywood film for what would be Australia's Bend It Like Beckham," he told SBS.

Bollywood Star airs on SBS ONE on June 2.

Watch the full interview with Anupam Sharma

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