Salaam Namaste (2005)

Interesting facts

• Filmed in: Melbourne

Salaam Namaste is a 2005 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Siddharth Anand in his directorial debut, and produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner. Set in Melbourne, Australia, the film stars Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta as Nick and Ambar, two young Indian expatriates who navigate the challenges of cohabitation, career, and unexpected parenthood after choosing to live together without marriage. Arshad Warsi, Tania Zaetta, Jaaved Jaaferi, and Jugal Hansraj appear in supporting roles. The film was the first Indian film to be shot entirely in Australia. Principal photography took place across various locations in and around Melbourne.

Production

Salaam Namaste marked the directorial debut of Siddharth Anand. In addition to directing, Anand made a cameo appearance in the film as a taxi driver in the climax.

The film featured several cameo appearances. Abhishek Bachchan served as the narrator and appeared in the final act as Dr. Vijay Kumar, an eccentric obstetrician. Arshad Warsi's wife, Maria Goretti, and their son, Zeke, appeared in a bookstore scene alongside Saif Ali Khan's character. Preity Zinta’s then-partner, Ness Wadia, made a brief appearance as a man reading a newspaper on a bus.

Salaam Namaste was the first Indian film to be shot entirely in Australia, primarily in and around Melbourne and regional Victoria. The production used several locations, including the Great Ocean Road and Rye Beach on the Mornington Peninsula. Tourism Australia reported a significant rise in Indian tourism, attributed in part to the film’s popularity.

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