Indian game developers are rushing to sign Bollywood stars for video games based on their films and lives, which is viewed by some as the next big earner in an entertainment market driven by movie-mad youth.
A study by the PricewaterhouseCoopers consultancy found only 40% of a Bollywood film's earnings are from the box office, with the rest coming from music, DVD and mobile phone ring-tone sales and soon - the nascent industry hopes - from mobile game downloads.
In 2006, about two dozen Bollywood films were accompanied by video games such as Don - modelled on a movie of the same name about an ultracool gangster played by superstar Shah Rukh Khan - compared with just three the year before.
Many more Bollywood films are expected to tie up with gaming companies in 2007.
"The Indian market is poised for a gaming explosion," said Rajesh Sawhney, head of Reliance Entertainment, a division of India's biggest business house, which launched a gaming company called Zapak in November.
Gaming based on Bollywood films and personalities is already estimated to be worth around 100-million rupees (R15,8-million), with companies planning to invest heavily in the sector over the next few years.
It therefore comes as no surprise that when it came to choosing a brand ambassador, Reliance Entertainment's Zapak picked Bollywood action hero, Salman Khan.
Several games will star the muscular Khan, who promised, at the launch, to help develop "wacky" concepts to keep his fans happy.
Siren Sameera Reddy, also known as Bollywood's J-Lo - after US star Jennifer Lopez - and famous more for her shimmying than her acting, is a sword-wielding streetfighter in a game developed by Jump and named after her.
Anywhere else his age and the subject matter would be a no-no for a videogame concept - but not in Bollywood-crazy India.
"We are forever looking for new games and the best way to find new games is Bollywood films," said Neeraj Roy, head of the Hungama Mobile portal.
Many Bollywood video games are designed for mobile phones, not surprising in a country where cellphones, with more than 100- million subscribers, outnumber personal computers by more than 10 to one.
Although the company behind the Bachchan game, leading mobile portal mauj.com, is charging 50 rupees (R7,20) for the game download, many others are currently free.
The games also work as a marketing tool for films, at little cost to producers, with game developers paying for the rights to develop and promote games based on particular movies.
"As many new films are made, there are new games on them. So it is a win-win situation for us, the Bollywood companies and gamers at large," said Hungama Mobile's Roy.
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