You don't have to be Indian to have come across Bollywood....Indian movies that are a masala mix of music, glamour, romance and drama.

Not surprisingly, Bollywood found fans in Fiji thanks to the Indian community

But now Bollywood is spicing up entertainment in Samoa where it's fast growing a cult following.

Clement Paligaru: Bollywood's the latest hot trend among movie lovers in Samoa.
What's more, the biggest fans aren't from the small Indian community here. They're Samoans and other Polynesians.

Video shop owner, Oscar Netzler: Like Samoans culture, they are quite reserved. Like many things are on television. They don't want excessive violence, excessive sexuality. I think there is a real good fit between the Samoan community and the Indian community in that they appreciate the same sort of things on television. And that's the reason they like those movies.

Clement Paligaru: The most popular films are those known as masala...just like the spice mix - a combination of song, dance and melodrama. And that's what connects Bollywood with Samoan audiences.

Bollywood fan, James Williams: The handful of films I've seen offer a wide variety of themes. You know, the love story. There's always the disapproving father. Or the two lovebirds from different castes and all that sort of thing. And Samoans can relate to a lot of those themes - especially the disapproving father.

Clement Paligaru: Each year Bollywood produces more films than Hollywood. And Samoan fans know precisely what they want.

Oscar Netzler: They would give me exact titles, and it was a challenge for me to go and find these actors and find the films and who supplies them.

James Williams: Who doesn't know Aishwarya Rai? There's been a couple of Miss Worlds who are Bollywood stars ... a couple of supermodels. Not that I go looking up the stuff in Google.

Clement Paligaru: Aishwarya Rai is among a handful of stars and directors who have popularised Indian cinema around the world.

Bollywood films typically last 3 hours. So fans do in Samoa - just as in India - make a night of it!

Bollywood fan, Lisha Sablan: That early dance sequence is beautiful - Aishwarya - I don't know if I am pronouncing her name right. But what a beautiful performer. I don't even have to know about Indian culture. She moves so gracefully. Just watching her. It's so beautiful. She's a great ambassador.

Bollywood fan, Chris Sablan: Thematically, Bollywood films are about love. It's almost like classic Hollywood you know. Like you know Shahrukh Khan. He's kind of like a Cary Grant. So I think in that way it appeals to a very broad audience.

Lisha Sablan: It's a great feeling. It's a great journey they take you on, so much colour & culture.