Indian film fans are being encouraged to dance in the footsteps of their favourite stars while visiting Perthshire.
The region features heavily in a new online guide to attract tourists to Scotland from south Asia.
Bollywood Scotland highlights locations in Perthshire that have provided backdrops for some of India’s biggest dance extravaganzas.
Lawrence D’Souza’s 1999 film Aarzoo was shot in a number of Perthshire locations, including Perth city centre, Scone Palace and Dunkeld Cathedral.
Jim Clarkson, VisitScotland’s regional partnerships director, said: “Romantic Scotland and the age-old romance of Bollywood are the perfect match.
“Bollywood film-makers have an enduring love affair with our cities, castles, lochs and glens, making Scotland the perfect stage for their dreamy love songs and elaborate dance numbers.
“Whether its historic buildings or wild landscapes, Perthshire attracts many film crews from all across the world each year. This map will give prospective Indian visitors yet another reason to visit Perthshire and step into the magical world of Bollywood.”
A host of Bollywood megastars, including former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, have shot scenes in Scotland, with Stirling Castle, Linlithgow Palace, Culzean Castle and Traquair House among many locations to have appeared on the big screen in India and around the world.
In total, the map showcases 23 Indian films that have been shot in Scotland.
These include the ground-breaking movies that kick-started the trend screen legend Dev Anand’s Main Solah Baras Ki (1998) (Sweet Sixteen) and Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) (Something Happens in My Heart), which featured landmarks including Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Eilean Donan Castle and Crossraguel Abbey.
The Bollywood Scotland map (PDF link) was launched by Indian troupe Dance Ihayami at Edinburgh Castle.
The growing number of high-spending, luxury-seeking consumers in India represent a strong emerging market for tourist destinations, with Scotland currently welcoming around 34,000 visitors a year.
Qatar Airways, which sponsors the Bollywood Scotland map, will increase its current frequency from Doha to Edinburgh to become a daily service in June.
In 2015, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Edinburgh Mela will together present a Bollywood Dance Extravaganza featuring a troupe of 60 performers from India and Scotland.
Research has shown that 40% visitors to the UK are inspired to come here after seeing it on film or on television.