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s by using the same products the stars endorse. At times celebrities will publicly endorse a product, by appearing in a magazine advertisement or a commercial. At other times, however, they do not need to make an effort to sell the product or style of clothing. The mere fact that they are wearing or using it is considered by many to be endorsement enough. Each time one of these stars appears in a film, the clothing they wear becomes a desired commodity. This includes accessories, footwear, and jewelry. In addition, the way they wear the garment can become a trend in itself. For example, if they do something different or daring, chances are that this, too, will be copied by their fans.

In fact, it has been asserted that 'each film is a brand in itself, and as each film releases we have a fresh new brand of fashion and lifestyle products pushing fashion among the masses' (Bansal 2005).

It seems clear that the film industry is closely intertwined with the world of fashion. 'After all, selling fashion products is a perception game. While the product needs to be inherently good and wearable, the aspiration value comes from its association with a leading personality who the masses idolise and look up to' (Bansal 2005). It is through the subliminal—and not so subliminal messages of film that we grew accustomed to designer names like 'Tommy Hilfiger' or 'Fubu'. The increasing popularity of Hindi films has had a similar effect on our likes and dislikes, as the fashions associated with them have become highly marketable.

The most popular role models of Bollywood include such superstars as Bipasha Basu, Madhu Sapre, Katrina Kaif, Dino Morea, and John Abraham The movies themselves are popular for a variety of reasons. First of all, they are usually entertaining, with compelling scenery and appealing musical backgrounds. In addition, they are the types of movies that allow viewers to escape from their own lives and be wrapped up with what is on the screen. Generally they have a plot line that is some variation on the 'rags-to-riches' theme. There is usually some sort of romance, and of course, the boy always gets the girl in Bollywood. These movies also have an appeal that reaches all ages as well as all ethnicities—perhaps because most people like a happy ending.

However, Bollywood films may appeal to young Indians on a deeper level. The actors who star in them are true role models, because the films mirror issues that are specific to them: 'Increasingly these films are about the schizophrenic worlds that contemporary young Indians live in, the worlds of airplanes, blended cultures and the east-west embrace' (Melwani 2005). Thus, young people recognize and respond to this. They, too, want to be strong and independent. They express their admiration by modeling themselves after their icons; in addition, they tacitly express their aspirations by emulating the very people who embody them.

The explosion of Bollywood fashion has also increased cultural knowledge, as new terms for specific garments filter into other languages. The sari (also spelled 'saree') is an unstitched piece of cloth that is draped around a woman's body; this, of course, the most well known. Other words have cropped up as well, such as salwar-kameez and dupatta. The salwar-kameez refers to a women's suit that usually consists of a kameez (tunic), a salwar (pair of loose pants), and a dupatta (matching scarf w