A former assistant director from Bollywood is infusing a dash of vibrant costumes and sexy dance numbers in the Malaysian film industry, generally known for its staid offerings. Sharad Sharan has been hired by Malaysian media giant Astro to direct three films.

The first movie, Diva, was released in June in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and India to modest success. The second, Tipu Kanan Tipu Kiri (Cheating Right, Cheating Left), a musical comedy, is scheduled for release this month.

Most of the technical crew in these films hails from India. The music and background score were done by Indians, as were costume designing and hairstyling. Then there were award-winning cinematographer Santosh Thundiyil and choreographer Ceaser Gonzalves.

"We are trying to sell colour of the kind they have never seen before. I have given them glamour,'' said Sharan, whose goal is to prove that besides computer software development, India has the expertise in creative work as well. "Film-making will be the next big export from India because we are cheap and we give the best,'' Sharan added.

However, not everything was exactly as in Bollywood, because of Malaysia's Islamic traditions. The actresses could not wear the kind of revealing dresses common in Mumbai lmdom. And no racy scenes on the screen either.

The US-trained Sharan is a successful director of television soaps in the Indonesian language, which is similar to the Malay language. He can speak and read the language.