JOIN USBollywood figured in the bilateral talks held between President Pratibha Patil and her Swiss counterpart Heinz Fischer here yesterday.
"The President (Austrian) knows a lot about India and has lot of interest in India. He talked about Bollywood during his discussion. He likes Bollywood a lot. His Economic Minister also likes Bollywood," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla, who is also accompanying the President on her State Visit to the country, told PTI.
He said Fischer wants Bollywood directors and producers to come to Vienna and Austria to shoot and make use of the beautiful locations here.
"We told them that Bollywood keeps going to Switzerland and they need new locations. And that if you give any attractive packages and concession to them, they will definitely come," Shukla said.
He added, "And they are ready for it. They want Bollywood shooting to take place in Austria rather than other European countries."
While many films have been shot in the picturesque Switzerland, not many have been shot in Austria, a country which is equally beautiful and more historic.
As films make the locations popular, tourists also follow suit.
Last year, nearly 1.5 lakh Indian tourists visited Switzerland whereas only about 50,000 visited Austria.
And on Vienna streets, Indians are known for their films and brains.
Some of the locals that this reporter spoke to knew about Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan and and India's edge in Information Technology and scientific research.
"You people are good. You use logic," said Ludolf, a local.
India is also known as a country of strong culture and history.
Fischer has been to India a number of times. Speaking to journalists, the President said he had visited the country first in his personal capacity way back in 1972.
His last visit was in 2007 as the President, the first by any Austrian Head of State.