From left: Bollywood actor Boman Irani, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LICI) acting general manager Sanjeev Jain and actor Veer Dass at a cocktail organised by LICI on Friday night at the Novotel Lami Bay. Photo: PAULINI RATULAILAI
By RINU SHYYAM
Popular Bollywood actor Boman Irani, who is currently shooting for his upcoming film in Fiji, ‘Santa Banta’, has described our country as God’s gift.
“This place is God’s gift and I hope to go back a calmer man as back home in the hustle and bustle of the city, we are always rushing,” he said in an interview with the Fiji Sun.
“The people are calm, the hospitality is warm the people are blessed with the surrounding and the place is exotic.”
Mr Irani said one thing he would always remember about Fiji is the politeness of the Fijian people.
“I have been to a lot of places but the politeness and the hospitality the people of Fiji have can be seen nowhere in the world,” Mr Irani said.
Mr Irani, who started his film acting career in 2000, has worked alongside high-profile actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt and Amitabh Bachchan.
Mr Irani said he always travels back with his family to the destinations he has shot for films.
Therefore his mind is set to come back to Fiji with his family for a vacation.
Lifetime experience for Neha
Former Miss India, Neha Dhupia, who is also shooting for the same film,said shooting in Fiji has been a lifetime experience for her.
“Shooting in Fiji has been amazing and it’s been a wonderful and an experience of a lifetime,” Ms Dhupia said.
“The culture, peace and serenity of this place is just amazing. The hospitality here is just like the surrounding of this place which is very pure.”
Ms Dhupia, who won the title of Femina Miss India in 2002, says she would definitely like to come to Fiji for a holiday.
Crew treated to cocktail
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LICI) on Friday night organised a cocktail event for the cast and crew of Santa Banta at Novotel Lami Bay.
LICI acting general manager, Sanjeev Jain, movies being shot in Fiji will help enhance the tourism market in Fiji as well as bring Indian culture to Fiji.
“Bollywood movies coming into Fiji will greatly impact the tourism sector in a positive way as the movie will market Fiji to the Indian Cinema viewers,” Mr Jain said.
“Today there is a market for Indian cinema as well. There are lots of people who watch Indian cinema and many will come to know about Fiji, and would prefer it as their holiday destination.”
The crew in Fiji has ten more days of shooting left in Lautoka and Nadi before they go back.