It was mere destiny that superstar Salman Khan flew here to shoot his upcoming film "Kick". Impressed with the scenic locales, he said he would like to come here to unwind and also hoped that Indian filmmakers will explore the facilities that the country offers.
"Had the British authorities not refused me the necessary visa, the original shooting would have been done in London," Salman told IANS.
"But I am happy that I have come to Warsaw to finish the film. Poland on the whole is a very beautiful country and the city of Warsaw is a place of my dreams.
"I wish more and more Bollywood producers would opt for the country (to shoot films) as all the technical facilities are there. What else can one desire for! Polish people are very understanding and friendly. I would love to come again and again even to chill out from my heavy commitments," added the 48-year-old.
"Kick", Sajid Nadiadwala's directorial debut, is being shot here and the superstar sounds positive about the film and feels it has the potential to cross the Rs.100 crore mark when it releases July 27.
Even Nadiadwala is satisfied with his decision to shoot here.
"We got excellent cooperation from the Polish ministry of tourism who got us subsidised rates in a five star hotel for a crew of 70 people which we brought here from Mumbai. Our local partner Film Polska did a commendable job and they entertained our each and every demand. Our experience is simply great," Nadiadwala said while addressing the international media.
The credit goes to M.R. Shahjahan, executive producer of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Pvt Ltd, for suggesting Warsaw as an alternative shooting destination for "Kick".
He experienced the perks of shooting in Poland while making his own film "Aazaan".
"After initial hesitation Sajid agreed and we are going to add another chapter to Indo-Polish film cooperation," Shahjahan told IANS.
In 2006, Yash Raj Films also canned the climax of "Fanna" and at that time Aamir Khan, Kajol and Suniel Shetty had come to shoot in the Tatra mountains as they wanted to create a war-like Kashmir situation.
Monika Kapil Mohta, Indian ambassador to Poland, said: "For the past three years or ever since I have come to Poland, I have been pleading with Bollywood producers to do something here. Finally, Nadiadwala has obliged us and this will be one of the biggest achievements of my term."
She tagged Salman and Randeep Hooda as the "cultural ambassadors in the global affairs".
"Bollywood has become an important tool to project India as a soft power. Polish youth watch you with admiration. Your films have created a new excitement about India. We hope your word of mouth will also create more understanding and curiosity about Poland in Bollywood circles," she added.
The ambassador also praised the role of the Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IPCCI) for creating a proper forum to lure Bollywood producers.
IPCCI is hopeful that in the coming year some five to six film units will be shooting in Poland.
