/> You may think that the hardcore desi small-town ambience of this season's surprise hit Tanu Weds Manu is unlikely to go down well with foreign audiences. But hang on. Wonders never cease, specially when it comes to the world of cinematic makebelieve.

We now hear that there will be a dubbed German version of Tanu Weds Manu.

Why German? The songs dances, colours, gaiety, drama and melodrama of a typical North Indian wedding would hardly seem to connect with people om Germany. However a delegation from Germany landed in Mumbai last week with the express purpose of seeing the new festive hit of Bollywood.

So bowled over were the Germans by the unabashed celebration of colour and gaiety in Tanu Weds Manu that now a German version of the film is being prepared.

Still disbelieving about the turn of fortune that his little-big film has taken, the Tanu Weds Manu director Aanand Rai elaborates, "It was a group of students of Comparative Cinema from the University of Regensburg in Bavaria, Germany. My colleague fellow-filmmaker Hansal Mehta sent these students to me. I was surprised that they wanted to see Tanu Weds Manu, and even more surprised at the way they responded to the film. "

Apparently the German students were keenly curious about the most minute nuances in the film.

Says Aanand, "They asked questions about the wedding proceedings that even I had never asked myself. It was just so reassuring to know that my film about small-town culture connected so deeply with them. "

The German delegation has returned home and has immediately initiated plans to release Tanu Weds Manu in a dubbed German version.

The film will soon be out in a German version.

Says Aanand, " Tanu Weds Manu is making inroads in places where Bollywood cinema is not a priority. I suppose my honesty of purpose showed up on screen. "