By Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network

After weeks and months of denials, it is none other than Akshay Kumar who has come forward and admitted the PURAB AUR PASHCHIM connection with Vipul Shah's NAMASTE LONDON; well strictly within the film itself.

In the fresh set of promos that are just out as the film is gearing up for coming Friday's release, Akshay is shown paying homage to the Manoj Kumar classic in not so uncertain terms. While talking about the greatness of India and Indians to the Brits in their own land, he concluded the details by mentioning about PURAB AUR PASHCHIM.

He turns over to his on-screen wife NRI Katrina Kaif and asks her that if her fellow countrymen needed anything more to know about India, he had a DVD of Manoj Kumar's PURAB AUR PASHCHIM which he would love to give it to her so that she could further share it with them.

Very well said and quite tongue in cheek!

On another note, the film has now started catching up heat after not so inspiring promotion in the last couple of weeks. Moving away from the song and dance routine, the publicity has finally started focusing on the talkie portions, something that was the call of the situation with NAMASTE LONDON easily being the biggest movie in the month of March.

The audience deserved to know more about what the film was and if it just the right amalgamation of comedy, drama, romance and emotions to make for a

commercial 'paisa vasool' entertainer. Well, the way a renewed vigor is being witness for this film that also stars Rishi Kapoor, Upen Patel and Jawed Sheikh, it just seems to be that!