Bhaskar pens romantic comedy

Sanjeev Bhaskar is working on a romantic comedy film based in an Indian call centre.

The film, which has yet to be titled, revolves around an employee pretending to be English to convince British customers they are calling a local office.

The Kumars star is writing the script for London-based Harbour Pictures, the company behind the new Calendar Girls movie about the Rylston WI naked calender. Shooting will start next year, once the cast has been decided.

Harbour's Suzanne Mackie told the India Times: "The film will take a serious look at the cultural differences between Britain and India. The subject is potentially serious, but also potentially funny."

Multinational companies are increasingly using India's huge pool of skilled, English-speaking graduates, to service their Western clients, as they come much cheaper than local labour.

Call centre workers are often given British names and even given crash courses in pop culture.

Mackie added: "How can you teach someone British popular culture? It's a funny arena for misunderstandings and that's where the humour for the film will come in."

Published: 3 Jul 2003