India 'best choice' to shoot outside Iran: Majid Majidi

Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi says India was the "best choice" to shoot outside his country, as the two nations share a lot of cultural similarities.

Majidi, who was recently in the city for the promotion of his first Hindi film Beyond the Clouds, said it is difficult for a filmmaker to go out of his own country, unless there is cultural connection.

"We have a place in Iran called Baloch. It's very close to Indian culture -- the clothes they wear, the language they speak. I shot my first film (Baduk 1992) there," he said.

Majidi added that Baloch also feels much like India in terms of the customs and rituals.

"All these factors made me think that if I were to make a film out of Iran, India would be the best choice," he said.

Beyond the Clouds, set to hit the screens on April 20, was shot in in Mumbai and centres around a brother-sister relationship.

The film, which has original score by AR Rahman, stars Ishaan Khatter and Malavika Mohanan in the lead.