by Subhash K Jha

The negotiations with Warner Brothers for their first Bollywood film had been going on with the Sippys for almost two years.

"Made In China was entirely Rohan Sippy's brain child. From negotiating with Warner Brothers to bringing me on board as director, to coming home to ask me about it...Rohan did it all."

Says a source, "It's the first Bollywood film from Warner Brothers

Of the Big 5 studios in America, namely Universal, Columbia-Tristar (SONY), 20th Century Fox, Disney and Warner Brothers two —Sony and Warner—have entered Bollywood in a big way with Sawariya and Made In China. The others are expected to follow suit."

Says Nikhil, "Sridhar Raghavan has written a wonderful script that weds action and humour. I know I'll have great fun shooting this film."

What makes Nikhil eligible for a unique China-helmed actioner? "Everyone who knows me feels I should do an action film. You've to see me when I'm narrating a story. I'm constantly giving out sound effects, running from this corner to that.

And my all-time favourite film is Sholay. To have my name associated with the man who made Sholay is one of the biggest highs of my career. I mean, to me Sholay is the mother of all films."

Made In China, to be photographed by V Manikandan (who shot Farah Khan's Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om) begins shooting in China in January and the film will be completed in May 2008.

Nikhil Advani has so far been identified with the romantic genre. "I don't want to be identified by any one style or genre. After doing an action film like Made In China I could possibly do a horror film."