I was watching the Hungarians watch the film. They clapped loudly when the first shots of Budapest came on. It all became quiet later as they watched their country being passed off as Italy. "It's no good," the editor of a Budapest newspaper said over an Indian dinner later. "Indian tourists will see Hungary and go to Italy because they'll think this is what Italy looks like."
Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali announced to his audience that he had chosen Hungary for filming because he has been much influenced by Hungarian filmmakers. He didn't say what influenced him to call Hungary, Italy. Andre Szoct, the official seducer for Bollywood directors to film in Hungary, thinks it's Sonia Gandhi that did it. "People in India know Italy because of Sonia," he explained, "and not that many know Hungary." Sure, but it's a safe bet that hddcs is not winning any Hungarian awards.