After JHMS, more films to be shot in Portugal: Ambassador

Panaji, Aug 16 (IANS) After the Shah Rukh Khan-Anushka Sharma starrer "Jab Harry Met Sejal", more Bollywood films are scheduled to be shot in Portugal, Indian Ambassador to Portugal Nandini Singla said here on Wednesday, pushing for a more productive relationship between the two countries.

The India-Portuguese relationship is going through a "golden moment" thanks to the fact that the Prime Ministers of the two countries visited each other's countries in a period of six months, she said at the inauguration of a Portugal India Business hub.

"I don't know how many of you have seen the new Shah Rukh Khan movie when Harry met Sejal. It was shot in Portugal. I was there at the film shooting and we are going to shoot many more movies in Portugal."

"This is not exactly business, but it has laid the foundation for Portuguese businesses to look with greater interest in India and similarly for Indians to look wider," Singla said in the presence of Portugal Consul General Rui Carvalho Baceira and Vice President of the hub Daryl Pereira.

The film, which released recently, was shot in several European cities including Lisbon, Portugal's capital.

The Hub is aimed at acting as a bridge to facilitate trade between India and Portugal in order to spur entrepreneurs in Portugal to set up businesses in India and vice versa.

A lack of a facilitation centre, she said, had in the past proven to be a handicap vis a vis increasing trade between the two countries, which was languishing at around $700 million.

"A lack of a platform that tells Portuguese businesses about the opportunities in India... that tells Indian businesses about the opportunities in Portugal, connects the two, does some hand-holding when they actually come to the country," she said.

Singla said that for Indian businesses and start-ups the Portugal India Business hub would open the doors to the Portuguese speaking world including growing economies like Brazil, Mozambique, Angola and others apart from Portugal itself.

The top diplomat also said that increased bonhomie between India and Portugal in recent times could be described as the "golden period" in the bilateral relationship, especially in view of the 20 MoUs signed between the two countries and multi-sectoral tie-ups in the areas of defence, space, science and technology, start-ups, renewable energy, sports, youth exchanges, culture, films and others.

"Practically there is a deepening and understanding of relationships in every area," she said.