Make a list of contemporary greats in the world of film direction, and it’s hard to leave out Steven Spielberg’s name. The Hollywood heavyweight, who is also a multiple Oscar-winner, is known for films such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Schindler’s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and most recently, Lincoln (2012), to name a few. Now, news is that the veteran producer-director will be in Mumbai soon. According to sources, on March 10, Spielberg will arrive in the city on his first trip to the country. His tour will take place because of Lincoln’s India connection. The source says, “Lincoln is produced by Reliance DreamWorks, which is helmed by Anil Ambani. Spielberg will be here on a four-day trip. He is coming to meet Anil and his wife, Tina Ambani.”This is the first international trip the filmmaker is set to make post the Oscars. At the time of going to print, Anil and Tina were expected to be present with him at the Oscars. The source further reveals, “He (Spielberg) will be staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Colaba. And from what his schedule looks like right now, he will only visit Mumbai. He doesn’t have other travel plans.” Ask if there’s a likelihood of a party to welcome him, and the source adds, “The Ambanis will give him a grand welcome. He’s known to be close to them.” So there could be either a party to celebrate the success of Lincoln, or one with a select few invitees in honour of Spielberg’s trip. We are also told that during his stay here, a few media interactions will take place. We tried contacting the publicist for the film, but we were told that they do not have the authority to comment on the subject.
