Status: Complete

Salman says ‘no’ to kiss with Ali Larter
09th May 2005 20.55 IST
By Nitika Desai

Salman Khan will be seen dancing and romancing gorgeous Ali Larter in Willard Carroll’s Hollywood movie ‘Marigold’. But there is one thing that the brawny Khan won’t do – kiss her.

At the onset, when ‘Marigold’ was in scripting stages Salman had apparently told the movie’s director that he would do anything but not lock lips with Larter. The reason, it is learnt, is not that Salman has some aversion towards Larter, but he has “certain code” that he likes to live by.

In return to Salman’s condition, Carroll too jokingly put a condition that Sallu will not take off his shirt in the movie.

Another thing Carroll has made sure is to show Salman crying at least once in the movie. Why? Because many filmmakers in Bollywood believe that the movies in which Salman sheds tears perform well at box-office.

Marigold – An Adventure in India has Larter playing an American actress who gets stranded in India. To earn some money to return home, she unwillingly agrees to work in a B-grade Bollywood film. Salman plays an Indian prince named Prem, who plays her choreographer in the film.

‘Marigold’ is currently being shot at Film City in North Mumbai. Sync-sound technology is being used in the making of the film that has the whopping budget of $8 million.

Willard Carroll is a self confessed admirer of Bollywood movies. He describes ‘Marigold’ as a “breezy, romantic comedy with music, dance, energy and razzmatazz.”

That is surely something to look forward to!

´Marigold´ To Release In January 2006

Salman Khan´s first mainstream Hollywood project ´Marigold´ , is making brisk progress as Jodhpur´s palaces , Bombay´s clubs and Goa´s beaches are explored in
Willard Carrol´s version ´Molin Rouge!
Salman has for company Ali Larter , Nandana Sen , and his step-mom Helen , who plays his reel-grandmother .
´Marigold´ has seven songs in English and Hindi , composed by Shankar-Ehsan-Loy, choreography by Remo and is expected to release in January 2006

source: planetbollywood.com

Gullu makes 'Mari' with Sallu!
Bollywood's original Bad Man and the Bad Boy are bonding again after a gap of ten long years. And it's all due to a film, which happens to be Salman Khan's first Hollywood movie, a production called 'Marigold'. Arch-villain Gulshan Grover is already a veteran of the West, with around a half dozen Hollywood movies to his credit. But Gullu is especially excited about the project for one simple reason: he's working with Salman again. As he says, "The last film we did together was 'Chandramukhi'," says Gulshan and adds, "Salman is a wonderful guy - he really goes out of his way to help others. This time, too, Salman took great care of the rest of the Hollywood cast and unit. Since they were new here, Salman provided them with every possible comfort, at times paying from his own pocket." Now we wonder if Sallu extended his generosity towards re-bonded buddy Gullu as well!

Filmfare.com

Harneet Singh is on-location as Salman Khan gets ready to romance Hollywood with Marigold
Posted online: Sunday, May 08, 2005 at 0000 hours IST

GIVE me passion,’’ yells choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant. In the centre of the green-and-white nightclub set at Film City in north Mumbai, the couple on the dance floor immediately pucker up. He’s in an all black suit, she’s in a burgundy high slit number. And as the instructions waft out of the microphone, their tango acquires its most important asset—heat. ‘‘Mind-blowing chemistry!’’ shouts an approving Merchant.

After more than a decade and a string of astronomical hits, 39-year-old superstar Salman Khan is making a debut. As the practised star goes through the moves of a dream sequence on the sets of Marigold, his first Hollywood venture, Khan is explaining the job to his co-star Ali Larter. ‘‘One-Two-Three-Four. Remember four, you have to turn then,’’ he smiles.

For Khan, there’s no room for mistakes with this film. His audience will not be the same all-adoring one he’s nurtured since he was 24. This is Hollywood, baby. And with all due respect to Aishwarya Rai, he is the first Bollywood actor to star in a mainstream American film.

Marigold is the story of a failed American actress who gets stranded in India, and is forced to work in a B-grade Bollywood film to get back home. Khan plays an Indian prince, Prem, who moonlights as a choreographer.

A ‘‘breezy romantic comedy with music’’ is how director Willard Carroll describes it. The 48-year-old film-maker, best known for his Sean Connery-Angelina Jolie starrer Playing By Heart, confesses he’s a closet fan of Bollywood melodrama. But he’s trying to make Marigold real for the American palate.

He got hooked after chancing upon Abbas Mustan’s Salman starrer Chori Chori Chupke Chupke four years ago. “I have this desire to introduce Bollywood to the American audience. I wanted to make a spectacle

Carroll’s done his homework. He’s made certain that Khan sheds a couple of tears in the film: ‘‘They tell me that a Salman film doesn’t work if he doesn’t shed tears. I am not taking any chances,’’ he says.

The one thing Salman won’t do, even for Hollywood? Kiss.

He will act in a sync sound set-up—for the first time in his life—and mouth dialogues in American English.

But he’s refused to lock lips with Larter. Apparently, Khan outlined his no-kiss policy well before signing the film. ‘‘He told me that’s the one thing he wouldn’t do. In turn, I told him he won’t remove his shirt in the film. Though he pleaded for the sake of his Malaysian audience, I was firm,’’ laughs Carroll.

The $8-million film is being co-produced by Hyperion and Entertainment One.

Carroll feels that out of all Indian actors, Khan will work best for the American audience. In fact, he’s convinced he can do a Hugh Grant. ‘‘He is good with women in films and is a perfect blend of charm and humour,’’ he says. But Khan is happy being Khan. ‘‘I don’t compete with anyone but myself,’’ he declares.

Salman gets a taste of Hollywood

Marigold is a first for a Bollywood actor as main lead in American movie

Harneet Singh
Mumbai, May 6

As the big 4 O nears, Salman Khan reckons it’s time for new beginnings. So he’s hard at work in a Film City studio lot—making his Hollywood debut.

Khan is on the sets of Marigold, the first time a Bollywood actor is main lead in an American movie. It’s big enough for Khan to break his nine-year-old self-imposed ban on Rajasthan, a state he’s shunned since his infamous blackbuck hunt in 1996: Khan recently went to Khimsar near Jodhpur to shoot for the film.

‘‘He is a tremendous movie star,’’ said director Williard Carroll. ‘‘I think he’s terrific when he’s subdued, subtle, charming and funny.’’

Marigold has a budget of $8 million (Rs 35 crore). By Bollywood standards, that’s not exactly chicken feed. One of the costliest recent movies was Devdas: Rs 50 crore. Kaal, the action extravaganza now showing, cost Rs 12 crore.

It took Carroll three years to get the film rolling. Co-produced by Hyperion and Entertainment One, Marigold is the first instance of an Indian corporate putting up money for an international venture.

Manmohan Shetty’s Entertainment One has contributed a cool $2 million for the film. For all the fuss, Khan wants to keep it simple.

‘‘It’s the same thing in a different language,’’ he shrugged as he chatted on the sets with Newsline.

Carroll is a huge India fan. He’s been here eight times in three years. ‘‘In reality, Americans don’t like to travel outside America. But they like to travel in a movie,’’ explained Carroll about his ‘India only’ policy.

The 48-year-old film-maker insists that he’s in no mood to spoof Bollywood and its song-and-dance routines. Marigold will have the real thing: seven songs composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy. The lyrics are by Javed Akhtar. Marigold is aiming for a spring 2006 release. And Carroll is already thinking of another film with Khan.

The Storyline
Salman Khan plays what he does best—a guy called Prem. Only difference, this Prem is a prince who moonlights as a choreographer. His co-star is Hollywood starlet Ali Larter, who plays the title role of a struggling American actress forced to work in a B-grade Bollywood film.

Movie Stills

Helen makes merry!

Yesteryear's dancing diva, Helen, who won generations of cinegoers' hearts over the years with her dancing and acting skills is moving towards Hollywood along with Salman Khan. She seems to restrict her roles these days mainly to Salman's movies - and this time, too, she has done just that. We hear that Helen is playing Salman's grandmother in 'Marigold' and is currently shooting for the film in Mumbai. As for Salman, we are sure he must be making 'merry' in the company of a senior member of his large and loving family!

Hollywood hot seater

ROCKY S may not have had a Bollywood star in his front row, he did better with a Hollywood one. Ian Bowen had the ladies ogling as he showed up in a summery linen suit for the show. Bowen is in the Salman Khan-starrer Marigold, directed by Willard Caroll (Rocky has done the costumes for the film). Bowen has been in India for a month already. “I’ve been partying with Salman every night,” laughs the actor. “The incident at Enigma (where Khan and Sanjay Dutt reportedly got into fisticuffs with other revellers), never happened,” he adds. “I was there.” Bowen’s met Shah Rukh Khan, and “all the Bollywood actresses”. He says he’s enjoying himself. “There wasn’t much to do in Rajasthan, but Mumbai rocks.”

Film crew thrown out of National Park
Source: Midday, April 21st

The crew of the film Marigold, including its hero Salman Khan, was thrown out of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park on Tuesday.

A total of 36 trucks drove up to the Kanheri Caves within the protected area, but the film unit, which had taken permission of the Archeological Survey of India, had forgotten to take permission from the Animal Welfare Board of India.

According to sources, the crew was making a huge racket within the national park where incidentally a census exercise is under progress.

Salman along with the film crew allegedly landed up at the park at around 10.30 am on Tuesday morning and the shoot continued till 3 pm, which is when forest officials asked the unit to leave.

The reason: no permission from the Animal Welfare Board of India or the Sanjay Gandhi National Park authorities.

“They had come for a film shoot, but we asked them to leave as they didn’t have necessary permission,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests Sudhir Padwale. He, however, added that they wouldn’t be taking any action against the film unit.

Padwale added that the unit wasn’t creating any noise and that there were only around 20 to 25 trucks.

Reacting to the incident PETA functionary Anuradha Sawhney said that action should be initiated against Salman and the members of the film unit as they had violated the law.

“He (Salman) has already been involved in an incident where animals were killed, so this incident is a very serious issue. The law has been violated and those who have violated it should be punished,” she said

Salman: The 'guiding' star!

The other night when Salman and his best buddy Sanjay allegedly had some argument over a few drinks, we'd earlier spotted the Khan outside a popular 5-star suburban hotel. And keeping him company was his 'Marigold' heroine, Ali Larter and his other Hollywood co-stars. We are told by a source close to the star that Salman is playing guide to them, taking them around the city and showing them all the happening night spots. We are sure Salman will be the ideal tour guide, and will make sure his guests have a 'merry'gold time!

Shooting stalled: Salman to fix new date for 'Marigold'!
by Debasis Jana

Salman Khan was supposed to arrive in due time at Sanjay Gandhi National Park for the shooting of his first Hollywood venture 'Marigold', but someone from the unit informed him that the shooting has been cancelled for the day as the park officials asked the unit to leave the park till they take necessary permission from the Animal Welfare Board of India.

'Marigold' is a Hollywood director Willard Carroll's $10m project featuring Salman Khan for the first time in a Hollywood film.

Although, film producers had taken necessary permission from the Archeological Survey of India, but they needed to take necessary permission from the Animal Welfare Board of India, too. The crew of the film 'Marigold' turned up early morning at Sanjay Gandhi National Park with 15 heavy vehicles, 18 light cars, 15 motorcycles and 130 crewmembers. But the shooting couldn't take place, however. So Salman has to allot extra days for 'Marigold'. No way!

Helen in marigold
By Taran Adarsh, April 20th 2005 - 0930 hrs IST

She has mesmerized millions of moviegoers in Hindi films. And now she's a part of a Hollywood project. Veteran actress Helen, who is rarely seen in Hindi films these days [she last appeared in Atul Agnihotri's DIL NE JISE APNA KAHAA], has agreed to enact a small but significant role in the Hollywood film MARIGOLD.

“It was [director] Willard Carroll's suggestion to cast Helen-ji in the film,” Siddharth Jain of Hyperion Pictures informs me, “In fact, Willard had her in mind all through for this particular role.” The veteran actress enacts the role of Salman's grand-mother in the film and while you're reading this news-piece, the actress has joined the Hollywood unit in the ongoing shooting schedule in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the makers of MARIGOLD are more than pleased with Salman's professional attitude. “We'd heard a number of stories before we commenced filming. You know how people indulge in loose talk… But our experience with Salman has been wonderful. He's extremely dedicated, a thorough professional and the most efficient person we've come across. Believe me, he's the first to arrive on the sets every day,” Jain sounds genuinely pleased.

The makers plan to wrap the entire shooting of MARIGOLD by May-end. The film, being shot in English language currently, will be dubbed in Hindi for the domestic market.

Adlabs to raise Rs 400-500 mn via pvt placement

BY MANISHA BHATTACHARJEE
Indiantelevision.com Team
(18 April 2005 9:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Adlabs Films Ltd is planning to raise Rs 400-500 million through a private placement to fund a chain of multiplexes across the country.

The company has mandated ICICI Securities for this purpose. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Adlabs Films chairman Manmohan Shetty says the company is planning to add seven multiplexes this year. "We are looking at raising Rs 400-500 million to meet our expansion plans," he adds.

The company recently launched Gold Adlabs, a premium multiplex brand in Pune. At present, Adlabs Films Ltd has six per cent stake in Prime Focus Ltd, which is engaged in post production services.

Considering that Adlabs has got into movie production, an aggressive expansion of its multiplex fleet would definitely help. It will launch its first international movie, a bilingual film called “Marigold” and starring Salman Khan, in collaboration with Hyperion Picture. “Marigold” will be processed at the company's film processing lab.

Adlabs started Mumbai's first multiplex, IMAX Adlabs, which also has the world's biggest IMAX dome theatre. After acquiring Metro, one of the oldest and most prestigious movie destinations of Mumbai, it plans to launch its multiplex version, Metro Adlabs in the near future.

Other major multiplex players in the country include Inox Leisure, a fully-owned subsidiary of Gujarat Flurochemicals (promoted by Pawan and Vivek Jain), Delhi-based PVR group and the Subhash Chandra-promoted Essel Group's E-City.

Gulu and Sallu bond after ten years!

The Bad Man of Bollywood, Gulshan Grover, and media's favourite Bad Boy, Salman Khan are coming together on the big screen after a gap of ten long years. The film in question happens to be Salman's first Hollywood venture, 'Marigold'.

Gulshan has already acted in a number of Hollywood films, like 'Jungle Book 11', 'East Side' and 'Beeper'. Salman plays Prem, the reel-life Indian lover of American actress Ali Larter, while Gulshan tells us that he is, as usual, the bad guy. "I'm playing a mysterious stalker, an assassin who has been following Marigold and her Indian lover.

The movie is being directed by Willam Carroll, who helmed the Sean Connery-Angelina Jolie starrer, 'Playing By Heart'." About his co-star Gulu says, "I'm surprised by the change in Salman; he has matured a lot as an actor. He's so confident and an extremely caring person on the sets. We were shooting in a remote area of Rajasthan and Salman and his staff took great care of the foreign crew and the cast of the film. If they needed anything, Salman would ask his staff to get it for them ; at times, he would even pay from his own pocket." Sounds like Salman has a new fan in Gulshan. That's what you call a 'reel-y 'Bad' bond between a Bad Man and a Bad Boy, isn't it!

Marigold A Blend of Hollywood and Bollywood
April 13, 2005, 9:40:09

Hollywood director Willard Carroll loves mainstream Hindi cinema, and not just as an American tourist gazing down at exotica. So Carroll is in Rajasthan shooting a Bollywood film starring Salman Khan.

The film Marigold, has Hollywood turning east to Bollywood, the movie with a large dose of songs in Hindi and English and dances choreographed by Remo, began shooting at the end of March near Jodhpur.

As previously written Salman Khan, Ali Larter star in the title roles and Nandana Sen co-stars.

Willard Carroll hit the headlines when he directed romantic comedy Playing By Heart, starring Sean Connery.

Marigold is a traditional love triangle, and pays tribute to the great Bollywood dream.

The story about the developing romance between an Indian choreographer Prem (Salman Khan), and an American actress Marigold (Ali Larter) plus the added complication Prems Indian lover Jahnvi (Nandana Sen) further complicated by Jahnvis interest in yet another American.

The film, therefore deals with two cross-cultural relationships interwoven with Bollywood song and dance.

Carroll unashamedly embraces the Bollywood formula, following the Bollywood conventions more closely and intimately than most of Bollywoods own directors, with song and dance tradition second to no Hindi movie.

Carroll also seems to have hit on a stunning combination with Sen and Larter, as the on screen chemistry works and without the rivalry that is often apparent when two Indian actresses work together.

Filming is soon due to move to Mumbai in May 12, with shooting all but complete by mid-May.

Will this movie also prove to be Salman Khans step on the ladder into mainstream Hollywood and an international career, although the man himself is being very sanguine about matters.

Will the pairing of the stunningly beautiful Ali Larter and Salman Khan prove a better match than Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson in previous attempt to instil Bolly in Holly, Bride & Prejudice.

Hollywood tries Bollywood formula
Mumbai, April 13 (IANS)

Hollywood director Willard Carroll loves mainstream Hindi cinema, and not just as an American tourist gazing down at exotica. So Carroll is in Rajasthan shooting a Bollywood film starring Salman Khan.

The film "Marigold", with a heavy dose of songs in Hindi and English and dances choreographed by Remo, began its first schedule March 27 at Khimsar Fort near
Jodhpur.

The film's cast of Salman Khan, Ali Larter (who plays the title role) and Nandana Sen is currently having a ball on location.

Five years ago, Carroll made the wonderful romantic comedy "Playing By Heart", featuring Sean Connery.

His new film, a traditional love triangle, pays homage to the Great Bollywood Dream, particularly "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" and Sanjay Leela Bhansali - Carroll's
favourite film and filmmaker from India.

The story about the relationship between an Indian choreographer Prem (Salman Khan, using his favourite name borrowed from Sooraj Barjatya's films), an American actress Marigold (Ali Larter) and Prem's
Indian love-interest Jahnvi (Nandana Sen) will be stretched into a quadrangle when Jahnvi walks into the sunset with an American.

The film, therefore, has two sets of cross-cultural relationships intertwined into the Bollywood song and dance formula.

Unlike Gurinder Chadha's "Bride & Prejudice", which adapted a similar mood and format, though it kept itself ironically distanced from the notorious conventions and formulas of mainstream Hindi cinema,

"Marigold" purports to go the whole hog.

There's no attempt by Carroll to distance himself from the Bollywood formula by irony or any other device.According to Nandana Sen, "Willard Carroll seems to have studied the Bollywood conventions more closely and intimately than most of our directors. He seems to know our song and dance tradition better than us! I'm
having a ball shooting with Salman and Ali."

"There's no undercurrent of rivalry. I guess that's something that happens when two Indian actresses work together. I've worked with international crews earlier, and this one is as professional as it gets. They've got everything so much in place that I can't dream of taking a day off to visit my ailing grandmother in Shantiniketan," she said.

After the Rajasthan schedule, the "Marigold" unit moves to Mumbai May 12. The shooting will be over mid-May after one song filmed on Salman and Ali.

So is Salman ready for an international career?
Unlike Aamir Khan who had employed an agent in Los Angeles to get him work after "Lagaan", Salman appears to have no plans - immediate or otherwise - of using
"Marigold" as a stepping stone into Hollywood.

It remains to be seen whether Salman's pairing with his sexy American co-star Ali Larter (she played the clairvoyant teenager in the plane-crash horror flick "Final Destination" and its sequel) turns out to be
more successful than Aishwarya Rai and Martin
Henderson in "Bride & Prejudice".

Willard Carroll shoots Marigold with Salman Khan, Ali Larter and Nandana Dev Sen in Rajasthan
Copyright © 2005 The Telegraph
By Subhash K. Jha

He loves mainstream Hindi cinema, and not just as an American tourist gazing down at exotica. Five years ago, Hollywood director Willard Carroll made that wonderful romantic comedy, Playing By Heart, featuring Sean Connery. Now Carroll is in Rajasthan doing what he loves best. A full-on Bollywood film with a huge number of dances (choreographed by Remo) and songs in both Hindi and English.

The film’s first schedule began on March 27, at Kimsar Fort which is two hours’ drive from Jodhpur. The film’s appealing cast of Salman Khan, Ali Larter (who plays the title role of Marigold) and Nandana Dev Sen is currently having a ball on location. The traditional love triangle pays a homage to the Great Bollywood Dream particularly Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Sanjay Leela Bhansali — the director’s favourite film and filmmaker from India. (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam seems to be Salman’s current favourite, too — some of the songs in his new release, Lucky, seem to be choreographed a la Hum….)

The story about the relationship between an Indian choreographer Prem (Salman Khan, using his favourite name borrowed from Sooraj R. Barjatya’s cinema), an American actress Marigold (Ali Larter) and Prem’s Indian love-interest Jahnvi (Nandana Dev Sen) will finally be stretched into a quadrangle when Jahnvi walks into the sunset with an American.

The film, therefore, has two sets of cross-cultural relationships, intertwined into the Bollywood song-and-dance formula. Unlike Gurinder Chadha’s Bride & Prejudice which adapted a similar mood and format, though it kept itself ironically distanced from the notorious conventions and formulas of mainstream Hindi cinema, Marigold purports to go the whole hog. There’s no attempt by the American director to distance himself from the Bollywood Formula, by irony or any other device.

According to Nandana, “Willard Carroll seems to have studied the Bollywood conventions more closely and intimately than most of our own directors. He seems to know our song-and-dance tradition better than us! I’m having a ball shooting with Salman and Ali. There’s no undercurrent of rivalry or anything. I guess that’s something that happens when two Indian actresses work together. I’ve worked with international crews earlier, and this one is as professional as it gets. They have got everything so much in place, so much so that I can’t dream of taking a day off to visit my ailing grandmother in Santiniketan. There’s just no room for even a small break.”

The current schedule in Rajasthan will be over on April 10. Then the Marigold unit moves to Mumbai on May 12. In mid-May, the shooting will be over after one song filmed on Salman and Ali.

So is Salman ready for an international career? Unlike Aamir Khan who had employed an agent in LA to get him work after Lagaan, Salman has no plans — immediate or otherwise — of using Marigold as a stepping stone to Hollywood.

It remains to be seen whether his pairing with his sexy American costar Ali Larter (she played the clairvoyant teenager in the plane crash horror flick, Final Destination, and its sequel) turns out to be more successful than Aishwarya Rai’s costar crossover with Martin Henderson in Bride & Prejudice.

Towards Hollywood...Finally!

After much deliberation and even more hullabaloo, Salman Khan's most ambitious plan of going to Hollywood is finally taking its final shape. We heard that the long overdue movie, 'Marigold', has started its shooting schedule in Rajasthan and that our Sallu bhai will soon join the crew there. The film stars the hot-blooded Khan opposite Hollywood actress Ali Larter. Parts of 'Marigold' will be shot on location in Goa and Mumbai as well. Salman plays a choreographer in the film, while Ms Larter does the role of an arrogant American actress stranded in India. The movie will be in English. Now we wait to see how Salman perfects the art of choreography - he already has great moves, doesn't he

Salman: Hot for Hollywood
March 4, 2005

It’s time for Salman Khan to laugh at all those people who said that his Hollywood project, Marigold, would never see the light of day.

The actor begins shooting for the film this month. Directed by Willard Carroll (Playing By Heart), the movie will be shot in three places — Mumbai, Goa and Rajasthan. Meanwhile, the actors of the film are undergoing script rehearsals to get into the skin of the character. Sallu’s heroine in the film is Ali Larter. The film, being made in English, is about an American actress who meets Salman on a film set and they fall for each other. Pretty much like the Ash-Salman love story that happened on the sets of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Sometimes reel life imitates real life too

Salman Khan's date with Hollywood gal !
by Debasis Jana

Here is another surprise for Salman Khan fans. Salman Khan has a date with Hollywood actress Ali Larter next week. Actually Sallu and Larter are doing a film together. You are right, it is the long-touted movie 'Marigold'. Hollywood writer-director Willard Carroll is directing this film. And the shooting is starting from next week, as Salman Khan said media yesterday.
The first shot will be taken against the backdrop of Rajasthani deserts. And a major portion of the film will be made on location in the resort state of Goa and in Mumbai. Salman Khan plays a choreographer in the film, while Larter plays an arrogant American actress stranded in India. Another Indian leading lady Nandana Sen of 'Black' fame is also playing important role in this film.

Salman's Marigold blooms in the desert
Subhash K Jha | March 30, 2005 17:18 IST

Five years ago, Hollywood director Willard Carroll made a romantic comedy called Playing By Heart, featuring Sean Connery. Now, Carroll is in Rajasthan, shooting Marigold, starring Salman Khan, Nandana Sen and Ali Larter (Final Destination, Legally Blonde).
The movie is replete with songs in English and Hindi, and dances choreographed by Remo, who has done films like Aankhen and Meenaxi.
The film's first schedule started on March 27 at Kimsar Fort, which is a two-hour drive from Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

'I think Salman is really cute!'

The story is about the romance that blooms between an Indian choreographer Prem (Salman Khan, using his favourite name borrowed from Sooraj Barjatya's cinema) and an American actress Marigold (Ali Larter) and Prem's Indian love interest Jahnvi (Nandana Sen).

"Willard Carroll seems to have studied the Bollywood conventions more closely and intimately than most of our own directors," says Nandana. "He seems to know our song and dance tradition better than us! I'm having a ball shooting with Salman and Ali."

"I've worked with international crews earlier, and this one is as professional as it gets. They've got everything so much in place that I can't dream of taking a day off to visit my ailing grandmother in Shanti Niketan [in West Bengal] . There's just no room for even a small break," she adds.

The Rajasthan schedule will conclude on April 10, and then the Marigold unit will move to Mumbai on May 12. The shooting will end mid-May, after a song is filmed on Salman and Ali.

So is Salman ready for an international career? Unlike Aamir Khan, who had employed an agent in Los Angeles to get him work after Lagaan, Salman has no plans of using Marigold as a stepping stone into Hollywood.

Rediff.com

Vikas Bhalla in Marigold

Television actor Vikas Bhalla has bagged Hollywood film Marigold. Bhalla plays Salman Khan's brother in the film. Vikas Bhalla made his debut as an actor opposite Kajol. The film flopped. And so did Vikas' film career. Vikas later tried his hand at singing and even released an album. He then made his debut on television and was also seen opposite Karisma Kapoor in Karisma Karisma. Says he, "I'm looking forward to begin shooting for Marigold. I play the role of Salman Khan's brother in the film. This feels like I'm making my debut all over again."

'Marigold' finally takes off
By Taran Adarsh, March 01st 2005 - 0930 hrs IST

After months of speculation, after a series of loose talk [by the media], after many confirmations and denials, the dream project is all set to roll.
MARIGOLD, Salman Khan's first step towards Hollywood, is all set to take off in the third week of March this year. The Hollywood project, to be directed by Willard Carroll [PLAYING BY HEART; 1998; Sean Connery, Angelina Jolie, Gillian Anderson and Madeleine Stowe], will be shot in a start-to-finish schedule in Mumbai, Goa and Rajasthan.
Prior to its filming, the actors will undergo script rehearsals so as to get into the skin of the character. MARIGOLD will co-star Ali Larter as the leading lady. Meanwhile, a topnotch Indian investor is also backing the project.
To be made in English language, MARIGOLD is about an American actress who arrives in India for a film shoot. The shooting gets cancelled and she is stranded in India penniless. Salman meets this actress on the sets of a Bollywood film and they fall in love.

Shooting to start -
Indolink: July 11, 2004

Salman Khan , whose just released film ´Garv -Pride And Honour´ , has taken a flying start across India ( except the multiplexes) informs that the shooting of ´Marigold´ will commence from next month .
The shooting venues for the movie have been finalised and it will be picturised in London , different locations in Rajasthan and also at the outdoor locales of Bombay and Goa .

March 30, 2004

By now we all know that Alison [Ali] Larter, star of New Line's $ 200 million-grossing FINAL DESTINATION franchise, has been cast in the title role of MARIGOLD - AN ADVENTURE IN INDIA, Willard Carroll's romantic musical-comedy about a tempestuous American actress who goes to India to make a low-budget Hollywood movie and suddenly finds herself tossed into the eccentric world of Bollywood film-making.
But here's some exclusive info on the project you weren't aware of.

March 27, 2004

The Indo-American film Marigold — announced more than a year ago — has finally found its female lead. The producers have selected Alison Larter to star opposite Salman Khan.
After promising to cast “an American actress who was known name in Hollywood” the producers zeroed in on Larter who is best known for her role as Brooke in the comedy, Legally Blonde. She also featured in Three Way Split, American Outlaws and Final Destination 1 and 2.
Siddhartha Jain, vice- president, Hyperion Pictures, India, says, “She was perfect for the film. Not only is she a good actress but also a singer and a dancer.”
Marigold produced by Hyperion Films is a romantic comedy about a Bollywood choreographer (Khan) who falls in love with a white actress who comes to India to act in a film.
Jain feels that Larter is showing her dedication to the project by “agreeing to come down to India during the summer and she is also willing to learn Bollywood dance steps for the film.”
Larter is currently doing a film with Disney called A Lot Like Love, co-starring Ashton Kutcher, the now famous boyfriend of Demi Moore.
Marigold aims to start production in June with extensive schedules in Rajasthan and Mumbai. This cross-cultural story is to be directed by Willard Carroll, who directed Playing by Heart starring Sean Connery and Angelina Jolie.
Marigold will be shot mostly in English with minimal Hindi dialogues.
Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy will compose the music while Javed Akhtar will pen the lyrics and Nitin Desai will be the production designer.

March 19, 2004

Salman Khan fans can finally rejoice! Progress is finally being made on the superstar's much-awaited film Marigold. The Hollywood actress Ali Larter (star of the Final Destination movies) has signed the leading female role in the ambitious movie. She plays an American actress who becomes stranded in India and falls in love with a Bollywood choreographer, played by Salman Khan. The
shooting of the delayed film begins in June and locations include Northern India and London. "Ali has brought a fresh approach to all her roles, and she's fearless about the challenges of singing, dancing, physical comedy. And 10 weeks in India during the summer!" said writer-director Willard Carroll.

October 02, 2003

Amidst reports that the Hollywood project MARIGOLD [starring Salman Khan] is shelved, comes the news that Becker Films International, an Australian company, has decided to join hands with Hyperion Pictures, the makers of the film. Directed by Willard Carroll, this $ 10 million film will now start filming in early 2004 and will be produced by Carroll, Charles Salmon and Hyperion Founder Tom Wilhite. "The Indian movie industry sees MARIGOLD as an opportunity to present a positive view of Bollywood to the West," says Sidhartha M. Jain, Vice President of Hyperion Pictures India and the film's co-executive producer.
MARIGOLD is about a Hollywood actress stranded in India when her film is suddenly cancelled. Penniless and unable to return home, the desperate Marigold accepts a role in a gaudy Bollywood production. But Marigold has two left feet and in Bollywood all film performers must dance.
Salman Khan is cast as Marigold's dance director, whose secret is that he is also the prince of a royal Indian family. "In the next few weeks, we will be announcing the actress who will play the role of Marigold," says Jain.
MARIGOLD will be launched at the MIFED market in Milan as the first real 'Hollywood meets Bollywood' film.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have composed seven songs, with lyrics by L.A. pop icon Shari 'Truth Hurts' Watson, whose cross-cultural mix 'Addictive' was one of the past year's biggest dance hits.

October 30, 2002

Produced by Hyperion Pictures, it is scheduled to go on the floors in February. The producers were sure that Khan would be out of prison by that time and they carefully stood by him unlike the cola brand, Thums Up, which opted for Akshay Kumar instead. The film, directed by Willard Carroll, will also star some Hollywood names. Preity Zinta turned down the offer to play the second lead as she felt the role was insignificant.

ALL ABOUT 'MARIGOLD'
Willard Carroll, a Hollywood director, has just announced his new project - MARIGOLD. Now that would be quite an ordinary announcement for us here, except for the fact that Carroll has done what millions of Indians have fondly hoped for decades - an Indian actor playing the lead in a Hollywood flick.
And Salman Khan it is who gets the honour of being the first Indian star to play the lead in a mainstream Hollywood motion picture. The news about Salman has been floating around for the last few weeks. But Hyperion Pictures, the producers of MARIGOLD, officially announced it last week.
Director Willard Carroll has directed three films. His best effort has been PLAYING BY HEART (1998), which had a large star cast including Sean Connery, Angelina Jolie, Gillian Anderson and Madeleine Stowe among others.
THE STORY:
To be made in Hindi and English, MARIGOLD is about a B-grade American actress who is shooting for a B-grade film in India. The shooting gets cancelled and she is stranded in India penniless. Salman, a choreographer in Bollywood, befriends her and gets her a role in a film called PYAR BINA KYA ZINDAGI. While teaching her to dance, the two fall in love. But there are some cross-cultural problems.
INDIAN TECHNICIANS:
Farah Khan is the choreographer, Javed Akhtar is the lyricist and Nitin Desai is doing the sets.
THE TARGET AUDIENCE:
Says Carroll: Salman has what it takes to be accepted by an American audience. You have to remember that basically MARIGOLD will cater to the American audience. It is not being made primarily with the Indian market in mind. It is a mainstream Hollywood production.
NUMBER OF SONGS:
Six. Shankar-Ehsan-Loy will compose the songs, which will be in Hindi and English. The girl sings her songs in English. SALMAN'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE SCRIPT:
Says Carroll: I got a lot of inputs for the script through my interaction with Salman. He gave me a lot of insight into the cultural nuances that would otherwise have been lost. After the script was written, we put it through him and he did make many suggestions, most of which we incorporated.
SALMAN'S CO-STARS TO BE:
Jennifer Love Hewitt? Britney Spears? Gwyneth Paltrow? None have been finalised.
INDIAN CO-STARS (Rumours are rife that Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherji are also playing significant roles in the film. As also Amitabh Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia and Amrish Puri). Says Carroll: Except for Salman, no names have been finalised.
BUDGET:
A little less than US $ 10 million.
SHOOTING LOCATIONS:
Goa, Rajasthan and Mumbai.
RELEASE STRATEGY:
International distributors will distribute the English version. For the Hindi version, the makers will sell it like any other Hindi film. RELEASE PLANS:
Shooting begins next February. The film will be shot in a single 11-week schedule and will hit the theatres by the end of 2003.

August 22, 2002

Salman Khan with Willard Carroll and Tom Wilhite of Hyperion Pictures While we wait for Salman Khan at The Regent, Bandra, we hear he's working out in his gym at home and later we're told that he's been delayed by the police, who are asking him some questions.
An hour after he's scheduled to arrive, Khan walks into the lobby looking entirely unperturbed by his apparent meeting with the cops. In fact, the actor looks all dressed up for a night out on town in a shimmery shirt, worn with black pants and boots.
In the elevator, on the way to his meeting with the folks from Hyperion - the American studio that's signed him up for their next film - he's singing bits and pieces of an unfamiliar song. Then he raises two fingers, says, "Dhishoom, hands up," to one of his many bodyguards, and laughs.
In a suite on the 15th floor, Tom Wilhite, president of Hyperion Pictures, and his associate Willard Carroll discuss their Hollywood-Bollywood venture. Carroll is the writer and director of the film that's titled Marigold. Also the director of Playing by Heart (a Hollywood film starring Sean Connery, Gillian Anderson, Angelina Jolie and Dennis Quaid), Carroll is more interesting for his bizarre collection of The Wizard of Oz memorabilia.
Carroll appears to be this project's main man. He is the one who fell in love with India and, on a visit a year-and-a-half ago, "discovered Hindi cinema". "I saw Chori Chori Chupke Chupke," he can hardly pronounce it, "in Chennai, and since then I've watched a hundred Hindi film DVDs."
His viewing list includes Dil Chahta Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Andaaz Apna Apna, which he calls India's answer to Dumb and Dumber. "I've spent a lot of time wondering what this cross-cultural movie will be like," says Carroll about Marigold and it's clear he has it all worked out in his head.
Carroll is convinced Khan is the best man for the project because "there's something about him that would appeal to audiences in America" and adds, "I knew I could write dialogue for him." Does Sallu feel the same way? "Yesterday I was asked, 'Your films haven't done well here, is that why you are doing a Hollywood film?' The truth is that this is my kind of film," says Khan, "My only concern was whether I would be able to deliver my dialogues in English."
Marigold will be shot in English and Hindi; requisite song sequences et al, with music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and lyrics by Javed Akhtar. The English version will have a few Hindi dialogues, while the Hindi cut will have "hardly anything in English." The cast of the film is almost entirely Indian, with just two roles for American actors. "There's an American actress," says Carroll, who refuses to add who the lady is. "She's twenty-something and will be a name in the US but maybe not here," is all he divulges.
The Hyperion duo is determined to make "a commercial American movie and not a niche film" and Wilhite believes that Marigold will be "interesting in the US as a cross-cultural film, carried by its concept, not its cast."
The two also intend to make a cross-cultural soap opera and an animated film, but at present both projects are in the nascent stage. Meanwhile, Khan is unsure of the reception he'll get in the US, and his response to questions on whether other Hollywood projects will follow is nothing short of pragmatic, "I would not want to play a character, a taxi driver in a film. If I make it big, let's see.."

August 17, 2002

Salman Khan will star in Marigold, a musical romantic comedy written and to be directed early next year by US filmmaker Willard Carroll, the Variety reported Friday. The picture, budgeted at under $10 million, will see Khan co-star opposite an as-yet-uncast US actress. Dubbed as a Bollywood-Hollywood collaboration, the project will be shot in both English and Hindi. Filming will take place in Mumbai, Goa and Rajasthan. Marigold, which is being touted as the first Hindi film made by a US director, is the story of a demanding B-movie actress stranded in India when her latest fly-by-night film is suddenly cancelled. Penniless and unable to return home, the desperate actress accepts a role in a gaudy Bollywood production even though she is a terrible dancer. Khan will play her dance instructor Prem. "The movie-within-a-movie format enables us to do the Bollywood sequences for real and at full strength while still preserving the narrative structure of a mainstream Hollywood entertainment," Carroll said. "In the past, US productions shooting in India have used the country as an exotic backdrop and a source of inexpensive manpower," said Sidharth Jain, VP of producer Hyperion Pictures India. "This project is different. It's a true co-production; Indians working side by side with Americans. It will be a seamless mixture of what each industry does best."