Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the team of the action-drama series “Fauda” on the sidelines of his high-profile visit to Israel.Modi posted a light-hearted selfie with the team of the Israeli spy-thriller series and wrote on X, “Thankfully, this interaction required only a selfie, no undercover work! #Fauda.”“Fauda” (Arabic for ‘chaos’) is a critically acclaimed Israeli political thriller that gained global popularity. The show explores the high-stakes and morally-complex world surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, portraying undercover operations, counter-terror missions and the human cost of prolonged violence on both sides.The Prime Minister’s meeting with the star cast comes as various stakeholders in the Indian and Israeli entertainment industries have been seeking collaborative projects and possibilities of utilising each other’s strengths across the creative space.The visit was also viewed as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen ties between India and Israel.In 2018, during his visit to India, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after making a fervent appeal to the Hindi film industry to shoot in his country, captured some of Bollywood’s biggest faces, including Amitabh Bachchan, into a selfie.“We believe in the India-Israel relationship. One of the most viral pictures occurred at the Oscars a few years ago. I’d like the Bollywood stars to join me for a selfie so a few hundred million Indians and Israelis can see this phenomenal friendship. Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra, Jai Israel!” Netanyahu had said as he beckoned the actors and filmmakers at the gathering titled Shalom Bollywood.Last year, as part of efforts to make India a global film production hub, an Indian film festival was held in Israel. The festival opened with filmmaker Kiran Rao’s acclaimed feature “Laapataa Ladies”. “Dangal”, “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”, “Mimi”, “English Vinglish” and “777 Charlie” were also screened at the festival, which ran till March 8.The line-up showcased India’s diversity, rich traditional heritage, contemporary challenges and creative strengths.