OK I’ll admit it, I like classy romantic comedies. Jane Austin’s Pride & Prejudice meets Bollywood in this bubbly take by the director of Bend it like Beckham.

Austin’s main story-line is very cleverly transposed to a pushy middle class Indian mother of 4 daughters desperate to wed them off. The intelligent Lalita (Rai) meets the rich handsome and eligible American Mr.Darcy (Henderson) and promptly they culture clash and annoy each other. Of course it all ends happy ever after after some fantastic song and dance scenes.

And it nearly delivers. It’s not the problem of the India / London / Los Angeles setting, but the difficulty of convincingly transforming the relationship between Darcy and Lalita from dislike to love. The two leads are comfortable with each other, but there is no real chemistry, no fizz. And I’m blaming Henderson who fails to create much sympathy or emotion.

But then it’s got Aishwarya Rai, Miss World 1994. Its very easy to see why she is a Bollywood superstar with her strong on-screen presence (or is that a male perspective?). And she seems to have fun! One to watch as she considers more ‘Western’ movies.