Saudi Arabia’s culture minister Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud and Film Commission chief executive Abdullah Al-Qahtani, who are on a visit to India, met Hindi film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan yesterday to “showcase Saudi Arabia’s booming film industry and explore collaborations with the Indian film fraternity".
A statement issued after the meeting said, 'The insightful conversations centred on Saudi Arabia’s holistic film proposition and synergistic opportunities for Indian filmmakers. Aspects discussed included the breadth of filming locations in the kingdom and the Red Sea, emerging industry talent in Saudi Arabia and the wider region, as well as the burgeoning film ecosystem to support the kingdom’s ambition for the sector.'
Speaking about the meeting, the culture minister said in a statement, “In an increasingly interconnected world, it is now more vital than ever to facilitate meaningful cultural exchange. Film remains a powerful tool to open hearts and minds, while the culture sector holds immense potential as an economic contributor. Our visit to India has enabled us to strengthen our relationship with this nation’s thriving film industry. We look forward to exploring partnership and knowledge-sharing opportunities as we continue to work towards realizing Vision 2030.”
Al-Qahtani added, “With fast-developing infrastructure, promising talent and picturesque locations waiting to be discovered, Saudi Arabia is ready to be an exciting, unique setting for filmmakers. We are pleased to have been able to interact with leading members of the Indian film industry on this visit and are excited about working together to take the kingdom’s film sector to greater heights.”