HOT STUFF: The kitsch and colours of India scored a hit with Indians at Selfridges (above)

Did it sizzle or did it fizzle? Nobody seems quite sure. But what Selfridges' month-long Bollywood fiesta did not do was draw the mainstream crowd. So if over two million people attended the Bollywood month in May, credit it to the South Asian set that wound its way to the Bond Street departmental store.

In spite of the fact that the much touted translocation of cine beauty Dimple Kapadia's home and its furnishing opened few purse strings-what with her bed priced at an impossible £30,000-designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla must still be happy with the outcome. Their painstaking efforts to transport all 333 sq ft of the Bollywood mansion-complete with a living room, bedroom, study, dining room and powder room-have been worth it. As the set-up continues to draw crowds, it will remain on display for a while.

"We have decided to keep the mansion in place for a couple of months. The idea was to show Indian crafts and make them popular here," says a Selfridges spokesperson.

Though one measure of its success, or lack of it, is that Selfridges will not be repeating the show next year, sales it would appear were quite impressive-equivalent to those during Christmas, according to James Bidwell, marketing director of Selfridges.

Spurred by the response, Selfridges is extending the period of display of other sections as well, especially the garments by Indian designers. "Ladies' fashion wear is popular and selling well. We are negotiating and plan to showcase works of some designers like Rina Dhaka for a few more months," he says.

Though people continue to flock there, there are many complaints about the prohibitive price tags. Says Anna Joseph, a college goer, "I enjoyed checking out the place with my mates but the clothes were very expensive. A £135 cotton skirt at the show would come for £85 elsewhere."

Rani Mehta, a bank executive, concurs. Though excited about seeing Indian goods in an English store, she too was put off by the prices. "I went with my friends and we had a wonderful time. The clothes were nice but very expensive. I wouldn't buy from there," she declares.

But nobody complained about the ambience. Or the food. The main attraction at the fiesta was a food garden café and a premier restaurant where over 20 hand-picked chefs from India recreated authentic coastal spreads with a focus on specialities from Maharashtra, Goa and Kerala. Nimbu paani, the elixir of Indian summer almost impossible to find in the UK, achieved instant fame. Dhaba food also scored brownie points-even with the Britons. "Paani puri has become a big hit," raves Bidwell. "I have also become a big fan of it." With the food part of it doing so well, Selfridges is already negotiating for a strategic tie-up with the Taj group of hotels.

Predictably, the biggest hit has been the celebrity shows. Star-struck Indians, who can never have enough of their screen idols, lapped it all up, flocking to the store to catch a glimpse of their evasive demi gods.

Also attracting a lot of attention were the live performances. Sivamani's percussion magic was an event that enthralled everyone-the mainstream population that made its way there included.