Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Israel for a two-day state visit was met with enthusiasm from his counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu. On February 26 in New Delhi’s time, Netanyahu joked about the potential box-office gold of a Bollywood epic depicting the India-Israel brotherhood, signaling the unique warmth in their alliance.
The comment reflects a genuine cultural connect, with Bollywood holding a special place in Israeli hearts. This isn’t mere rhetoric; both nations have nurtured substantial film industry linkages. Netanyahu had previously voiced his admiration for Indian cinema during his 2018 trip to India.
This visit follows Modi’s historic 2017 trip, with agendas focusing on bolstering ties in defense, trade, tech advancements, and people-to-people cultural interactions.
The cornerstone of their film collaboration is the 2018 co-production treaty inked during Netanyahu’s India sojourn and greenlit by Modi’s cabinet. Films made jointly under this framework receive domestic equivalence in both markets, easing access to funding, creative talent, distribution channels, and script expertise for Indian producers.
India’s Foreign Ministry notes that the deal pools resources across creative, tech, finance, and marketing domains. Such films enjoy home-country privileges at festivals, along with production subsidies and post-production aids. It’s catalyzing employment for artists and technicians while amplifying cultural dialogues and mutual understanding.
Netanyahu’s 2018 ‘Shalom Bollywood’ rendezvous with stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Imtiaz Ali was memorable. He invited Bollywood crews to film in Israel, reiterated his love for the genre, and committed to showcasing more Hindi hits there.
Amid thriving partnerships in security, farming, renewables, R&D, and pharma, cinema adds a colorful dimension. As Modi and Netanyahu chart courses ahead, Bollywood’s allure could inspire collaborative masterpieces, strengthening the strategic camaraderie between India and Israel.