What on earth would inspire you to see DDLJ, KKHH or KKKG again?

Perhaps if Shah Rukh Khan was magnified to half the size of a football field?

I know what you’re thinking…and no, though it’s Friday night, I’m not drunk. 😉 I’m just surprised that IMAX is interested in Bollywood. That’s right, the next time you visit your cousins in Mumbai, you could while your day away watching Aftab on a screen “large enough to show a whale life-size”. (ahem. i’m in no way commenting on the girth of certain bollywood stars, but if your mind goes there, don’t blame me just because I said the screen could show a life-size whale.) 😀

Before you forget the original point of this post because of my bloggy meanderings, I was trying to tell you faithful SM-readers that IMAX might be coming to INDIA. Read on:

“Eventually, Bollywood films will be converted into IMAX format. It can happen in three to four years,”said Richard L. Gelfond, co-CEO and co-chairman of IMAX Corporation.

“But India needs at least 20 IMAX theatres to justify converting films to IMAX format,” he said.

Gelfond said the company had already started talks on the subject with some film producers. India, which presently has only three IMAX theatres, will add seven more by 2008, he announced Friday.

India is a natural choice for this experiment; it has a robust film industry and the cost of converting a regular 35mm film into an IMAX movie is more competitive. Normal cost? $4 million. Indian Price? $2.5-3 million.

The IMAX theatres in India and other countries presently screen Hollywood films either converted from 35mm to IMAX format or those produced with special IMAX equipment.

I’m sure some of those Indian IMAX-goers would love to see big B instead of “The Polar Express” (Don’t ask…I’m getting to it). Maybe this IMAX-Bollywood cocktail is a good idea.

“Considering the huge costs involved, we can convert only a few blockbusters,” he said. Gelfond was here Friday to witness the release of “The Polar Express: an IMAX 3D Experience”, the first Hollywood feature film converted to IMAX 3D.

See? Told you I’d get to the part about Tom Hanks creeping out small children. 😉

The company recently signed a deal for first IMAX theatre in Pakistan. The theatre will open in Lahore next September.

Wait…if Pakistan won’t allow Bollywood flicks, what will those IMAX-ers see? Is Hollywood allowed in the land of Lollywood?

HindustanTimes.com: Bollywood films may turn to IMAX format

Mutineer Abhi on IMAX: “Mystic India” in IMAX