Move over Toronto. After the success of Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) in Vancouver in 2013, Bollywood fans had the opportunity to see another extravanganza show hit Vancouver – Shah Rukh Khan’s SLAM Tour co-promoted by DBR Entertainment. Vancouver was the only Canadian city on the tour schedule. Although the show started late due to travel mishaps in Chicago, Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonu Sood, Farah Khan, Boman Irani, Malaika Arora-Khan and singer Kanika Kapoor entertained thousands of Bollywood die-hards. For 3 hours, fans for whisked away into the magical world of Bollywood.

With the recent filming of Saif Ali Khan’s “Phantom” in Vancouver and publicity of TOIFA, this Canadian West Coast city is quickly becoming a rising filmi destination for Bollywood. During the SLAM show, Deepika took the mic and spoke to fans about her love for Vancouver, calling the city “so beautiful”. It’s the star’s first time visiting the city and she happily says to crowd if she was to live anywhere else outside of India, Vancouver would be it. With the mountains and the water within reach, no wonder Deepika is smitten with the city.

In an interview with Vancouver Desi, DBR Entertainment’s Dave Atwal says “When [Shah Rukh] picked out all the six concert (locations), he picked Vancouver … he could have done all in the U.S. only,” said Atwal, adding that other SLAM 2014 tour locations include San Jose, New Jersey, Chicago, Houston and Washington, D.C.

“After TOIFA, Vancouver is a much, much bigger base — multiculturally, everything,” said Atwal. “I think in future, Vancouver will be No. 1 for North America for any kind of Indian concert.”

Vancouver’s local tourism industry is waiting with baited breath for the effects of Bollywood tourism to run its course and bring in desi globetrotters to this beautiful city. And to finally stop playing second fiddle to Toronto.