While two female filmmakers from India, Pooja Bhatt and Vinta Nanda, are preparing their precious films, Rog and White Noise, for the film festival in Karachi in December, Bollywood collectively seems to have become attuned to the new mellow mood that governs cultural ties between India and Pakistan.

Suddenly Paki-bashing is anathema, thanks to Shah Rukh Khan and his two blockbusters this year ? Main Hoon Na and Veer-Zaara. Both the films make a very strong plea for peace between the two countries, the latter far more so than the former. While in Main Hoon Na the two step-brothers, Shah Rukh and Zayed Khan, came together to combat cross-border terrorism, in Veer-Zaara Yash Chopra makes an even more heartfelt and direct plea for peace by showing a ?legendary? love relationship between an Indian Air Force officer and an aristocratic Pakistani girl.

The combined impact of these two films is impressive and far-reaching. There?s a growing belief that Pakistan would finally open doors to Hindi films with the screening of Veer-Zaara. If so, the impact on peace talks between the two countries will be tremendous. Says Preity Zinta, ?A friend of mine from Pakistan saw Veer-Zaara. He sincerely feels President Musharraf should see it.?

Kirron Kher, who coincidentally featured prominently in the cast of both films, feels there can be no better goodwill ambassador than Shah Rukh Khan. ?They adore him in Pakistan as much as in his own country.? In fact, when Urmila Matondkar had visited Karachi last year in connection with Pinjar (another film that addressed itself to peace between the two nations), she was told, ?All we want is Shah Rukh Khan to visit us.? The megastar in turn is looking for the opportune moment to visit his multitude of fans there. Understandably, there is a certain reluctance in Shah Rukh to take the plunge in Pakistan because of the delicate nature of relations between the two countries.

Vivek Oberoi and costar in Kisna

Kirron Kher, who now features in a third film on peace between the two countries feels the time is right for the walls to fall. ?My Khamosh Pani is a very important film. It tells you how damaging the deteriorating relations between the two countries have been to the people of both nations. When I shot for the film in Pakistan two years ago there was increasing tension on the borders. Let?s not forget this was the time when Bollywood was making films like Gadar (which indulged in open Paki-bashing). When I shot for the film I wondered if I?d be criticised on both sides of the border.?

Now the time seems just right for Khamosh Pani, where young filmmaker Sabiha Sumar has cast Kirron as a casualty of India?s partition into two nations. Even the Gadar director, Anil Sharma, has mended his politics. His new film, Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo, originally contained harsh and bitter words against our neighbours. But the slate has been cleaned. Now several filmmakers in Mumbai are planning films that preach peace between the two nations. Just how far cinema heals the wounds of history remains to be seen.

While efforts are being made to bring the two estranged nations closer through films, some more filmmakers are out there to enliven history on celluloid. Filmmakers are busy this season delving deep into history. The time is also right for classics like Mughal-e-Azam to emerge in all its coloured glory.

At least two major films lined up for release in 2005 take us back to Colonial India for a peep into the life and times during the British Raj. While Subhash Ghai?s Kisna scheduled for a January release is entirely fictional, Ketan Mehta?s The Rising (now re-christened Mangal Pandey, and bearing no resemblance to the cheesy Shatrughan Sinha starrer of the same name in the 80s) is due in June-July 2005.

Shah Rukh Khan with Preity Zinta in Veer-Zaara

Audiences got a glimpse of both the films this Diwali when their trailers were shown. Mangal Pandey was glimpsed along with Yash Chopra?s Veer-Zara as the Chopras are the film?s distributors. Subhash Ghai who produced the Diwali release, Aitraaz, inserted a trailer of Kisna in the film. Audiences are agog about both the blasts from the past, specially since both the film?s leading men Vivek Oberoi in Ghai?s Kisna and Aamir Khan in Mehta?s Mangal Pandey sport similarly wild and spiritual looks, long hair and all. The look is, in fact, in direct contrast to the dude?s image that today?s average hero wears. Would audiences be willing to accept Aamir Khan and Vivek Oberoi as history?s mysteries?

Kirron Kher, who now features in a third film on peace between the two countries feels the time is right for the walls to fall. ?My Khamosh Pani is a very important film. It tells you how damaging the deteriorating relations between the two countries have been to the people of both nations. When I shot for the film in Pakistan two years ago there was increasing tension on the borders. Let?s not forget this was the time when Bollywood was making films like Gadar (which indulged in open Paki-bashing). When I shot for the film I wondered if I?d be criticised on both sides of the border.?

It?s been proven through experience that Indian audiences don?t take kindly to historically grounded films. Last year?s brilliant pre-Partition saga, Pinjar, collapsed before the first weekend. Aamir Khan gave his life?s best performance in Deepa Mehta?s tale 1947-Earth about the savagery during Partition. The film bombed. Will he wean audiences into the British Raj with Mangal Pandey as successfully as he did in Lagaan, two years ago?

Toby Stephens and Aamir Khan in Mangal Pandey (formerly The Rising)

Mangal Pandey must work for Aamir. He has received the highest fee ever for an Indian actor. The actor needs to justify his pricey image immediately. Vivek has received a much smaller fee for Kisna. But his stakes are just as high. Despite commendable performances in Masti and Yuva in 2003 his career has been largely doom-driven. Kisna is his last bid to regain the glory he earned with his debut in Ram Gopal Varma?s Company ? and he has reportedly given a brilliant performance.

Besides historicity the other common thread between Kisna and Mangal Pandey is the presence of British actors. Kisna introduces the stunning Antonia Bernath as Vivek Oberoi?s love interest. No acting experience but was selected from the 300 British girls auditioned. Now after Kisna she has signed a big Hollywood film.

Mangal Pandey too features British actors including the James Bond villain Toby Stephens. The British presence seems to be strengthening in Bollywood. And never mind if it?s happening through films that deride their colonial aspirations.