This is the year Hollywood came calling.

It started with Roland Joffe, director of The Killing Fields, which picked up three Oscars and earned him a nomination for Best Director in 1984. He turned his eyes India-wards, or more specifically, towards Vivek Oberoi, as the lead for The Invaders.

A historical love story that spans 18th century India, peopled by the British and the Marathas, and Boston in 2010, The Invaders seems to have run into problems though producer Ajey Jhankar denies it.

Aishwarya Rai starred in Gurinder Chadha's Bride and Prejudice and served on the Cannes jury this year; she has also been signed on by the William Morris Agency.

Ash was signed on soon after opposite Meryl Streep in Coline Serrau's Chaos. She will play a foreign prostitute.

In another development, little known actress Masumi Makhija (who starred in the flop Chupke Se), was signed on for the German film, Tor Zum Himmel (Gate To Heaven).

Hollywood's Ben Affleck is said to have shown interest in director Dev 'Split Wide Open' Benegal's film Bombay California. The film stars Rani Mukerji.

Text: Sita Menon

Interview with Roland Joffe: 'We are all prisoners of our own history'