Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures recently shot parts of its much-awaited film Once Upon A Time in Mumbai-2 in the Sultanate of Oman. The sequel to the 2010 blockbuster, that has stars like Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Imran Khan and Sonali Bendre among others, is slated for an 8 August (2013) worldwide release. This was the first time that a major Bollywood film has been shot in Oman. Speaking about the destination and the experience of shooting in the country, Balaji Motion Pictures CEO Tanuj Garg said, “Oman is a stunning country with varied landscapes. We required a good mix of retro and contemporary for the part we wanted to shoot there, and Oman gave us a lot more. It has a lot to offer visually, which worked well for us as film-makers.” “There are so many beautiful locations across the globe but little did we know that a country of such stark yet stunning beauty is a neighboring country. We needed a location of pristine beauty in the Middle East, and Oman, a relatively virgin location, worked for us like a charm. It’s a rich mix of sea, sand and mountains,” added director Milan Luthria.