John Travolta has not only been a Hollywood superstar but a globally popular dance icon. With films like Saturday Night Fever, Grease and Hairspray, the actor cemented his image as someone from Hollywood who could groove in Bollywood style. Travolta was in Mumbai on Sunday, where he spoke to Swarup Chakraborty about what Bollywood means to the Western world. Edited excerpts:
Indian corporate houses Reliance ADA Group and now Sahara are investing in Hollywood. How do you assess this?
It is wonderful. Hollywood studios need money and if a corporate is interested to work with geniuses like Steven Spielberg (in whose studio Reliance ADAG has invested $825 million), it is just fantastic.
Are you working with any of the Indian corporates?
No, not yet. But I would like to.
How important is India to Hollywood as a market and also as a talent pool?
Well, the Indian film industry is so successful that they don’t even need Hollywood; it is Hollywood that needs India, as it is a key market for us. The talent pool is becoming bigger. There have been collaborations of Indian films with American and British talents, which have been acknowledged at the Oscars and other important awards. Films like Lagaan and Slumdog Millionaire are indications that we are taking each other very seriously.
You have been a dance icon and dance-drama is a genre in which Indian cinema takes pride. However, of late, the interest in Bollywood dance drama in the West seems to be waning. How do you see this situation?
I think since the 1950s, dance has always been a minority genre. I happened to have the good luck to be associated with some of the biggest musicals in history. But I am a minority. Yes, we have not seen them being made of late, not because we do not love them but perhaps there are not enough people who understand them or do them well enough. It used to be a part of our culture which has been weaned out and the more it is weaned out, less people will enjoy this genre. So, I am like a dinosaur to some degree.
So, what kind of content do you think India should export that would work better in the Western world?
I don’t know which content offering to people would be successful. But if we can get talented people together, they will always find a way. And, in the present context, Hollywood needs Bollywood more than Bollywood needs Hollywood. Some time before, Europeans, whether Italians or French, brought in changes and contributed a lot to American cinema. I think now it is Bollywood’s turn.
Lastly, are you doing a jig with Akshay Kumar in his latest film, as has been reported by sections of the media?
(laughs) With whom? Not that I know of... but guess it would be fun.
