Premier Ewart Brown is pleased that a mainstream Indian film will be shot on the Island in September.

Speaking in the House of Assembly on Friday, Dr. Brown, who is also Minister of Tourism and Transport, said a group of Indian businessmen have been in Bermuda looking at the Island and have been impressed.

He said: "I am pleased to advise this Honourable House that portions of a major, mainstream Indian film will be shot in Bermuda during the first week of September.

"This will expose Bermuda to audiences not only in India but in the United States, Canada and the UK. The film's worldwide release date is January 14, 2011.

"This is a major achievement which will provide a short-term boost to tourism and related services while the crew and stars are in Bermuda, and will be followed by significant exposure into new and emerging markets from which we can only benefit."

Meanwhile, representatives of the Whistling Woods Film, TV and Animation Institute were on Island two weeks ago and hosted a forum at the Bermuda College.

"This relationship is growing and Bermuda will continue to see benefits. As one commentator observed in a recent issue of Newsweek magazine, the emergence of economies like India and China should be no surprise to students of history.

"While Western Europe and the Americas were bands of nomadic tribes the East and Asia were centres of commerce, trade and were the only real modern economies. Courting them is something most countries recognise as sensible and increasingly necessary."