US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton talked about Hollywood and Bollywood in the same breath during her recent trip to India.

Interacting with Delhi University students, she said, "If Hollywood and Bollywood were how we all lived our lives that would surprise me! And yet it's often the way our cultures are conveyed."

Hillary further said, "People watching a Bollywood movie in some other part of Asia think everybody in India is beautiful and they have dramatic lives and happy endings. And if you were to watch American TV and our movies you'd think that we don't wear clothes and we spend all our time fighting with each other."

She reportedly blamed both news and entertainment media for distortions. In another interactive session in Mumbai, she praised Filmfare Award winner Bollywood actor-director-producer Aamir Khan (Lagaan), with whom she shared the dais.

Commenting on this, acclaimed Indo-American Statesman Rajan Zed said that cinema was a powerful and potent medium. Societies and cultures influence cinema and cinema in turn influences societies and cultures, Zed, who is chairperson of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, added.