'Remarkable Rwanda', as the country pitches its tourism attractions to the world, is now wooing 'Incredible India' to shoot films in the salubrious surroundings of this East African country.
During Ansari's recent visit to Kigali, first high-level visit from India, he held bilateral talks with President Paul Kagame and Senate President Bernard Makuza, and Rwanda, among other areas of cooperation, proposed to India to shoot Bollywood films in that country.
The Hollywood movie was inspired by an episode in the 1994 genocide during which the hotel and its manager at that time, Paul Rusesabagina, had sheltered over 1,200 people.
"The choice of a famous hotel (Hotel des Mille Collines) and setting up the lunch on its rooftop that overlook the breathtaking view of the hills, this wasn't a mere coincidence, I believe. It was to subtly tell India, what Rwanda can offer to tourists and filmmakers," an official told PTI.
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Amar Sinha, Secretary, Economic Relations in the MEA, who accompanied Ansari during the visit from February 19-21, said, "Another area where they have sought cooperation is production and shooting of Bollywood films.
"After a Hrithik Roshan-starrer film was shot in New Zealand, it pushed tourism in a big way in that country. We hope we can find models to replicate it in Rwanda," he said.
Rwandan capital Kigali perhaps epitomises the cleanliness and beauty of the country, as the city has well-manicured roundabouts, squeaky-clean streets lined with trees and a stunning golf-course that attracts the rich and the famous.
"Also, many people here watch Bollywood films with English subtitles, and they include native Rwandans too. The city is clean and situated on rolling hills, it would be a perfect backdrop for Bollywood films.
"People here celebrate beautiful Kigali and Indian filmmakers can showcase this in movies. America and Europe has been shown too many a time, this city and the country would bring in freshness for the audience back home," he said.