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Foreign films, made in India
Julia Roberts starrer Eat Pray Love and Danny Boyle's Oscar-conquering Slumdog Millionaire weren't just exceptions. More and more international films are now being shot in India, and that includes some extremely high-profile projects.
Here's a look at some upcoming films being shot on our shores:
Bond 23
Daniel Craig returns as James Bond as director Sam Mendes takes the helm with this yet-untitled but obviously highly anticipated new film.
There are yet-uncomfirmed reports that the film might shoot for a month in Mumbai and Goa during the monsoons, and if that happens, it'll be the first time Bond returns to India since 1983's Octopussy was shot in Agra and Udaipur.
The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan's massively anticipated follow-up to The Dark Knight has an unbelievably starry roster of talent: Christian Bale continues as Batman while Tom Hary, Anne Hathaway, Juno Temple, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt all come aboard.
The film will be principally shot in Pittsburgh, but some parts will be shot in Jodhpur.
Mission Impossible IV
Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt in this film marking the live-action directorial debut of master animator Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Iron Giant).
With some scenes shot recently in Mumbai, the film is also set in Dubai, Vancouver, Prague and Moscow. New additions to the cast include The Hurt Locker's Jeremy Renner and, of course, Mumbai's own Anil Kapoor.
Against Itself
Pune-born filmmaker Kranti Kanade is currently shooting his third feature with Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs, Mean Streets) and Ayush Khedekar (Slumdog Millionaire).
Wikipedia describes the film as being about a secular American schoolteacher in India, struggling against anti-Gandhian forces.
Life Of Pi
Yann Martel's Booker-winning book was attached previously to directors M Night Shyamalan and Alfonso Cuaron, but is now being made by Brokeback Mountain helmer Ang Lee.
The film began shooting in January 2011, and is mostly being filmed in Pondicherry. A 17-year-old student from Delhi, Suraj Sharma, was selected to play the title role.
Singularity
Roland Jaffe's long overdue time-travel adventure is set against the Anglo-Maratha war, and was recently shooting in Panchgani, near Mumbai as part of a five-week schedule.
The film stars Josh Hartnett and Neve Campbell in the lead, with Bipasha Basu, Atul Kulkarni and Milind Gunaji in supporting roles. A thrilled Basu just can't stop tweeting about it!
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Shakespeare In Love director John Madden's new film is set in India, and star Dev Patel has actually had to take accent lessons to fit in as a native Indian.
The film casts the Slumdog Millionaire star alongside a veritable who's who of top British talent, including Dame Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and Dame Maggie Smith.