Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

Accompanied by Mayor Hau Lung-bin, a delegation consisting of Indian directors visited the Bopiliao historical area in Wanhua District on December 17. The Bollywood filmmakers are in town to attend the Asia Pacific Film Festival.
The members of the visiting delegation include Umesh Kulkarni, Sameer Hanchate, and Joseph Pulinthnath. They are well-known directors from the Hindi film industry whose works frequent a number of international film festivals.
As the local tour guide, the mayor recounted the history and the importance of the street block and the buildings to the visiting directors. The directors also expressed their wish to visit local attractions such as Longshan Temple, Huashi Street, and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
According to the mayor, a film crew from Bollywood visited Taipei in July 2009 to conduct shooting for the film Devru. With the assistance of the Taipei Film Commission, the NT$7 million production will feature Taipei landmarks such as the Taipei 101 and the National Palace Museum.
Hau promised the delegation assistance and incentives if they choose to shoot part or the entirety of future productions in Taipei. He noted that Hindi movies often run in theaters in India for a period of one or two years. This is an effective way to promote Taipei City to moviegoers and potential tourists.