Amitabh not to shift to Dubai

Dubai, Apr 30 (UNI) Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has denied that he is to make Dubai his permanent home by buying property here.

He said he has no plans to buy freehold property in Dubai's Tiara Residence on the Palm Jumairah Island.

"So far, I do not have any plans to buy a home in Dubai. Dubai is a great city which is developing every minute. I always enjoy being here and it's just two-and-a-half hours away from Mumbai. But, I have no plans of moving to Dubai," he told Khaleej Times reacting to a report in another English-language paper on his investment plans.

The local report had said Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan would join major celebrities like David and Victoria Beckham and Shah Rukh Khan who are buying luxury mansions on the Palm, the manmade island.

Mr Bachchan said Dubai is a bridge between the Eastern and Western cultures and said the Dubai Film City is offering a lot of advanced facilities for film-makers from India who were previously relying on Western countries for such facilities.

"But, now it is available in Dubai and it will be an opportunity for the Indian film-makers to use it in Dubai which is just two-and-a-half hours away from Mumbai. This will also become a bridge between Indian films and Dubai," he said.

He is currently in Dubai acting as the brand ambassador for the International Indian Film Academy's (IIFA) awards, which are being held as part of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) in June this year.

The IIFA, which gathers more than 450 film personalities from India at an international venue, has chosen Dubai this year.

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