The British Tourist Authority is launching a new campaign to bring film fans to Britain, from India. A map highlighting all the locations where the megastars of Indian cinema have been filmed, has been printed and 55,000 copies will be distributed in India and the Middle East.

There has been a big push to encourage Indian filmmakers to come to Britain for locations, with sales teams sent out to Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, India’s Hollywood. These teams have been very successful in persuading producers to consider Britain and there is now a steady flow of productions coming here to shoot, using natural locations as backdrops to Indian romances and dramas. Scotland has been particularly favoured.

The BTA are seeking to capitalise on the upsurge of interest from Indian film fans who are fanatically devoted to their film stars and many want to see for themselves the overseas locations where their favourite films have been made.

India supports a huge film industry, producing over 150 films per year, which are incredibly popular, showing to packed houses all over the sub-continent and beyond. Many of these films need exotic locations, so the films are shot all over the world, but Scotland has proved the most popular exotic location of them all, surpassing Switzerland and New Zealand, which have been favoured in the past.

Fifteen Bollywood movies have been made in Britain so far, the majority in Scotland. They have made places as diverse as Edinburgh Castle and McEwan’s Perth department store, Linlithgow Palace, Culzean Castle, Ayrshire, Edinburgh's zoo and airport and Glasgow's botanic gardens, stars of the Indian screen. A Bollywood film being shot in Scotland at the moment is doing the same for Prestwick International Airport. With a host of castles, lochs, forests and mountains to choose from as backdrops there is plenty of variety for Bollywood producers to consider when they choose to locate in Scotland.

On the Bollywood In Britain movie map superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Karishma Kapoor sang the praises of British backdrops:

"Great Scot! The green pastures, the serene lakes and the magic in the summer sky are to die for," said Shah Rukh Khan. Karishma Kapoor, sporting a Union Jack T-shirt, said: "Having spent most of my holidays in London, I know this favourite city of mine as well as Mumbai." Producer and director Yash Chopra said: "When I come to England, I feel as if I am in my second home".

Kevin Cowle of Locate In Scotland says the downstream benefits of having Scotland feature in Bollywood movies should not be underestimated. "What we have to realise is that these films are incredibly popular in India, where there is a very large middle class, who do travel the world. They want to see the locations that featured in their favourite films when they come to Scotland," he says. That in turn means travel, food and accommodation needs have to be provided for. Since many of the places used in locations have been in rural areas of Scotland, as well as cities, all areas have potential to benefit from Bollywood Bus Tours. With visitors demanding souvenirs to take back home, there is little doubt that the tartan economy will be further swelled by incoming rupees.

The film tourists are now being helped to plan their tour itineraries with aid of Bollywood in Britain websites. More traditional tourists in Scotland can also add an exotic to their sightseeing plans. They now have the chance to see a Bollywood film being made in Scotland. It is possible to do a little Indian stargazing at Prestwick Airport right now. This will certainly help to pass the time constructively, if there any flight delays.