Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon brought together distinguished figures from the Israeli and Indian film industries to celebrate and enhance the cultural ties between the two countries.
The quests at the ambassador’s soiree in New Delhi on Wednesday included Israeli actor Tsahi Halevi and Nurit Tinari, who heads the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Cultural Relations Division. Halevi and Tinari are visiting India to explore new areas of collaboration.
Israeli actor @TsahiHalevi sings #TereJaisaYaarKahan at a dinner reception held in #Delhi to celebrate his Hindi film debut @IsraelinIndia @NaorGilon @Nushrratt#IsraelInIndia #TsahiHalevi #DelhiNews #Israel #NaorGilon #NushrrattBharuccha #Akeli #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/vzQsIkpPbc
— Delhi Times (@DelhiTimesTweet) August 16, 2023
Halevi, known for his performance in the hit Israeli television series “Fauda,” will be making his Bollywood debut alongside award-winning Indian actress Nushrratt Bharuccha in “Akelli” (“Alone”). The action movie debuts in India on Friday.
“Every such event is another building block of the people-to-people connection between Israel and India,” Gilon said. “Indian cinema enjoys popularity in Israel, while Israeli series like ‘Fauda’ have gained a dedicated fan following in India. The Bollywood debut of the ‘Fauda’ actor Tsahi Halevi marks a momentous milestone in the growing cultural ties between our two ancient civilizations.
As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to more collaborations bridging our rich cultures and histories, further strengthening our friendship,” the ambassador said.
It’s not every day that an Israeli actor participates in a #Bollywood production.
Towards the premier of the film #Akelli, we had the pleasure of hosting the talented actors Nushrratt Bharuccha and @TsahiHalevi (Fauda).
We were joined by many friends.🇮🇱🇮🇳. pic.twitter.com/xJAHmgSWeS
— Naor Gilon (@NaorGilon) August 17, 2023
Earlier this month, Israel and India launched a program aiming to empower Indian water-tech startups. The Israeli Embassy in India will collaborate with The Circle: Founders Club, a business accelerator based in Gurugram, in the northern state of Haryana, and backed by Hunch Ventures, to help Indian startups get tech validation, commercialization, market access and fundraising.
Selected founders will be part of a comprehensive accelerator program that includes mentorship and networking opportunities from both Indian and Israeli specialists in water technology.
In May, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen visited New Delhi, where he engaged in talks on strengthening bilateral relations.
The following month, it was announced that the two countries are preparing to resume talks on a free-trade agreement, with an Indian delegation having visited Jerusalem to prepare the groundwork.
Israel and India are celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations. Cohen’s trip followed recent visits by Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.