Durban, with its large Indian population, has ensured that the DLF IPL has been really well supported for every match held at Kingsmead
Durban, with its large Indian population, has ensured that the DLF IPL has been really well supported for every match held at Kingsmead. It also ensures that the local movie houses feature various Bollywood productions throughout the year.
Having had a few of the IPL owners who make their living out of starring in Bollywood movies, I am sure that the future Bollywood features will be watched by many more South Africans, as we satisfy our curiosity as to exactly what Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta do when they are not at the cricket ground cheering on their teams.
Not only will the featured Bollywood movies get a larger following, I am sure that the positive exposure our Rainbow Nation has received by hosting the IPL, will encourage Bollywood producers to think about using South Africa as a film location. Cape Town already has an influx of models, actors and film crews descending on the "Mother City" over the December-January period, when the weather is beautiful, and the days are long.
More and more movies are being shot in and around Cape Town for many reasons. Firstly, there is great diversity, from beaches and mountains, to rolling vineyards, all in close proximity to each other. Even the beaches have their own diversity, with some looking like they could be in the Mediterranean, and others being wild and remote. Secondly, the movie industry is well established, and so there is access to equipment and crew that should satisfy any director's requirements.
There have also been movies shot in Durban recently, as we have sunshine virtually all year round, and the local municipality goes out of their way to ensure that every need is catered for when filming is done. Traffic is diverted, roads closed off and there seems to be a real positive drive to ensure that Durban becomes one of the locations where people shoot their films.
Finally, with the exchange rate, your dollar will go a lot further in South Africa, and even though we are classified as a developing country, I am sure that all the IPL supporters who have recently visited South Africa can vouch for the world class infrastructure that exists here that makes getting around the country easy and affordable.
It's not uncommon to see shooting units in Durban and Cape Town. There have been so many movies shot in South Africa recently, as well as television programmes and ad commercials. We South Africans are now becoming good at recognising the many stars and actresses when we see them on the streets and in shopping malls. In fact, I've seen a couple of Hindi movies myself (with subtitles of course!) and I absolutely love the glitz and glamour, complete with all the razzmatazz. I enjoy Bollywood music, not just listening to it but dancing to it as well it's fantastic.
Like in India, we South Africans like to "dress to impress", and so our various fashion weeks are well supported, with quite a few local designers building strong reputations overseas.
Finally, if it's a partying holiday you are looking for, then you need look no further than Cape Town over the New Year celebrations. Beautiful people from all over the world fly into Cape Town, hoping to be spotted and invited to all the "IN" parties that take place at the popular night clubs, and the beaches are packed during the day, with people enjoying the sun and South Africa's greatest asset our hospitality.
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This is the fifth in a series by former cricketer and Mumbai Indian's fielding coach Jonty Rhodes that showcases his native South Africa through his eyes
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