Sajid gift-wraps Italy!

And the filmmaker who discovered this is Sajid Nadiadwala. Actually, it took Salvatore Ianniello, head of ENIT, the Italian State Tourist Board, India, and a complete Bollywood buff to promote and position Italy���s fabulous locales within the folds of Bollywood films. With a firmly focused vision to promote tourism through tinseltown, Salvatore says, ���Indian films are perhaps the best ambassadors topromote the tourism of any world destination. And that���s why we took theinitiative to associate our beautiful country with the beautiful people ofBollywood.��� Mission Italy seems to have already paid off in a big way. Thelocales in Vicenza and Venice are already being sought after by Indian touristsas the hot spots where Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor romanced in KambakkhtIshq, directed by Sabbir Khan. Meanwhile, Sajid has just completedan extensive shooting spell in the breathtaking beach backdrop of the Apuliaregion of Italy for his next film Housefull starring Akshay Kumar. For Akshay,too, it was a second stint in Italy within a year. This sparsely populatedItalian town does not have many Asians living there. But once the shootingstarted and news spread, Asian fans from all the neighbouring areas rushed over.And Akshay would regularly take time off in between shots and meet and greetthem and sign autographs. Sajid explained his sequel of shooting inItaly, ���This speaks volumes for the bond that we have struck with theItalians. I have always tried to give my films a global feel. Fortunately, Ifound a like-minded associate in Kishore Lulla of Eros International, who is aninternational marketing genius and expanded the film���s markets at Cannesthis year. That���s why Kambakkht Ishq was unanimously declared amongst theyear���s Top 5 grossers in the UK, US and UAE. besides being amongst theTop 2 opening weekends in India.��� Salvatore, who makes nobones about his huge appetite for Bollywood, was delighted when Kambakkht Ishqwas felicitated for its breathtaking locations by a film trade body. The Italiantourism chief said, ���Sajid is Italy���s unofficial ambassador toBollywood. The Italian crews are waiting for when he will film his next inItaly!���