Its no secret – the world loves Salman Khan. Fans throng his sets and linger for hours outside his residence to catch the glimpse of their superstar. Now B-town’s notorious bad boy has managed to get a government fan following from the beautiful island of Sri Lanka.
Post the IIFA event, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in June, Bollywood has fallen head over heals in love with the nation. Salman Khan was highly impressed by the scenic beauty and reception received that he made a special request to change the shooting location of his next film Ready from Mauritius to Sri Lanka. Co-Producer Bhushan Kumar (T-series fame) and Director Anees Bazmee were happy to oblige and the government of Sri Lanka was thrilled at the opportunity to highlight the nation as a film location.
The government of Sri Lanka who interacted with Salman during the IIFA week got a glimpse of his softer side when he agreed to sponsor 500 cataract operations for needy Sri Lankan patients. Salman Khan, who played a key role in the IIFA Hands for Humanity Project, as the Brand Ambassador for charity, arranged for specialists to be flown for the surgery at the expense of Salman Khan Foundation.
The government was bowled over by the star’s generosity and is going extra lengths to ensure that the star and crew is comfortable during their shooting schedule in Colombo.
The actor who was earlier put up in a regular suite at the Cinnamon Grand was soon upgraded to the presidential suite with a private garden, a gym, and a kitchen. He is also assigned a personal chef and a team of assistants to tend to his needs. Additional arrangements are being made to guarantee necessary security to Salman Khan and co-star Asin.
A source from the unit confirmed, “Salman is being treated like a Government guest, and Sri Lanka is reportedly paying for the hospitality for the entire unit.”
The film also featuring Paresh Rawal is a remake of the 2008 hit Telugu film Ready and is expected to release next year.
