The burgeoning economic progress of the country has given a huge fillip to Indian films globally, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has said.

"I always believed that when a country does well economically, everything about it gets noticed - its dress, culture, language and the films", the 64-year-old actor said here last evening while launching the album of his latest film "Baabul" which will have a world premiere on Dec 8.

Sharing the platform with the film's director Ravi Chopra (of Baghban fame) and one of its actors John Abraham, a UN ambassador for Asia against Drug Abuse and Crime, at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Bachchan said "Baabul" dealt with the progressive subject like widow remarriage.

"The success of Bollywood films like Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna - Never Say Goodbye - shows that the Indian audience is also beginning to mature and are prepared to watch films with different topics and different subjects," he said.

Asked whether he planned to move over to Hollywood films, Bachchan said such presumption gave the impression that acting in Hollywood films was the ultimate thing. "We are happy with Bollywood films and we would like to see good films being produced in Bollywood which are universally acclaimed." Answering a question on different types of roles he had been playing during his illustrious career, the "Big B" said that "we move with the time and adopt ourselves to the changing times, values and perception." "May be a film like 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna' which deals with extra marital relations might not have been so successful a few years back."

To a question why the launch was being held in London, Bachchan, voted star of the millennium in a BBC poll, said the audience for the Bollywood films was no more restricted to India alone as "there is a very large number of NRIs living all over the world, particularly in the UK. Besides, there is concentration of Media in London." Asked whether there was any move to produce Bollywood films in English, Bachchan said some efforts were made to do so but found it was not commercially viable.

To a recent controversy over a billboard depicting him smoking a cigar, Bachchan said the issue was sub-judice. "I did a shot where I was supposed to smoke a cigar and the producer, I think did a deal with a brand which makes electric switches and they put up a hoarding and they put certain words which were not mine. I was not involved in it really and somebody has taken offence to it and gone to court. The court will decide." Agreeing with a questioner that the plight of widows in India needed sympathetic consideration, Bachchan said the "theme" of "Baabul" is "quite thought-provoking and progressive." He lauded the effort of Ravi Chopra for choosing such a bold subject which is socially relevant.

Baabul features, besides Bachchan, Hema malini, Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee and John Abraham in pivotal roles. The film in essence is the story of a father who gave up all relationships to make one - it is the story of one man who overthrew traditions, broke conventions and questioned superstitions to bring happiness to his daughter-in-law.

While music maestro Aadesh Shrivastava created the music for the film, Sameer penned lyrics. Bachchan has sung two songs in the film including the title track. The new album launched here includes Bachchan's title song which was not previously in the original soundtrack.

Bachchan concurred with a questioner that widow re-marriage is frowned upon in many parts of the world resulting in widows suffering a life of shame. In India alone, there are over 33 million widows from a cross section of the society.

The occasion also marked the celebration of B R Films' 50 years in Indian Cinema.

Sunil Kheterpal, Chief Operating Officer of Adlabs films said they were delighted to be associated with the release of Baabul in the overseas market as it "not only epitomizes Indian values but also represents the changing face of Indian cinema." Sanjay Bhutiani, Business Head of BR Films said "Today Indian Cinema is going global and we are expecting this film too to touch the emotional chords of Indian movie lovers across the globe."

--- PTI