Beth Watkins is a self-confessed Bollywood addict, and is part of a growing tribe of Bollywood fans in North America. Her interest in Bollywood underscores a growing trend that Bollywood films appeal to a wide audience who are not necessarily from Asia or Africa, the traditional domain of Hindi films.

Pico Iyer summed it up very nicely when he said, "The notion of America is so large that often when we ask people about American culture they say Michael Jackson and Madonna. But American culture at this point has also incorporated phenomenon's like Bollywood and Ravi Shanker." In his first book, "Video Nights in Kathmandu," (1988) Iyer recounts how in his travels around the world one of the first questions that he is asked is about Hindi films.

Beth's fascination started about a year ago when she watched her first Hindi movie "Mujse Dosti Karoge?" (Will you be my friend?). The three hours of of histrionics (as critics of Bollywood like to describe Hindi movies), and the song and dance routine, the whole package worked for her, and Beth became a convert to Indian films.

Interestingly, Beth reads up about Bollywood from another American's blog called Gorilla's Lament. Beth can reel of names of movies, actors, songs, locations...she knows everything about "fillums."

"The top few I can tell you, though, and they switch around in order - Kandukondain Kandukondain, Dil Chahta Hai, Hum Tum,, and Main Hoon Na." She struggles to name her favorite stars since so many vie for her attention. Rani Mukherjee is one of her favorites, and she likes Lillet Dubey. "I haven't seen Aamir Khan in very much but he's so impressive, no matter what he's doing"

She counts Saif Khan as one of her favorite actors. I asked her, "What about King Khan, Shar Rukh?" Beth replied, "And despite my initial confused reaction to him, I have a very hard time resisting the charm of Shahrukh, of course, and I almost always really enjoy his performances (especially Swades -that was amazing)."

Beth's fascination with Bollywood has translated into a general fascianation with India, and when she is not watching films, she is busy catching up on her reading on India. She hopes to travel to India soon, and also is keen to organize an India exhibit in her university town, where she works at the musuem of world culture.

I guess that Bollywood is no longer the opium of the Indian masses alone.

We have a scoop and you heard it first on this podcast.

Google unveiled the Google Video at the 2006 Conssumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas.

"Waterborne," an independent film produced by "Smriti Mundhra" and directed by "Ben Rekhi," is one of the first films to be available on "Google Video."

The film stars Christopher Masterson, Jon Greis, Ajay Naidu and Shabana Azmi.

You can watch a trailer of the film here. In this podcast we speak with Smriti Mundhra about the film and Google Video.

Chandramukhi in Hindi with Mr. Amithabh Bachchan?

Drena de Nero new film has Sushmita Sen and Randeep Hooda

Top 5 film from India FM

Amol Palker's Paheli is India's official entry for the Oscars

Aamir Khan to marry

Mallika Sherawat on CNN's Talk Asia

Filming for Dhoom-2 starts

Abhishek Bachchan to star in a Bhojpuri film

Dev Anand turns 82

South Indian actress Khushboo's remarks boomerang

New releases for this week: Siskiyan; Sauda, the Deal; U, Bomsi'N Me; Vishwaas: The power of faith; Kasak, Rain and Maine Ganshi ko nahin Mara

Top 5 films of the week from IndiaFM

Shah Rukh Khan's new DVD, "The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan"

Aamir Khan on a 3-day trip to Cambridge University in UK

Toronto Film Festival premier of "The Myth" and "The Mistress of Spices"

Deepa Mehta's next film is based on the Komagata Maru incident

Hot off the press: Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher get married

Top 5 films of the week according to IndiaFM.com

This week we have some interesting stories ...India's own list of 50 most beautiful people.

Emmy Award has a representative from the Indian film industry.

The new Pepsi webisode.

Karan Johar and KANK.

Nasseruddin Shah to direct his first film

Four new Hindi films released this week: Choclate; Kal...Yesterday and Tomorrow; Sau Jhooth Ek Saach; and James.

Director Robert Wise dies in Los Angeles.

Renee Zellweger is single again.

Deepa Mehta's "Water" will open at the Toronto Film Festival. The festival will close with "Edison" starring Kevin Spacey and Morgan Freeman.

Aishwarya Rai has signed a Disney Film.

Hindi films released on Friday, September 2, 2004 include: Dansh, Ramji Londonwaley, Aashiq Banaya Aapne and Pyaar Mein Twist.