Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein made a short private visit to Mumbai to meet Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan last week.

The details of meeting are not immediately known, although it comes in the same month that Bachchan relaunched his production company AB Corp on 11th October 2003.

Weinstein also visited the shoot of Gurinder Chadha's Bride And Prejudice, for which Miramax has US distribution rights. Weinstein was also present at the India party at this year's Cannes film festival.

Meanwhile Amitabh Bachchan was hailed as "an unpaid ambassador for South Africa" at an event in Mumbai on Oct 18 attended by President Thabo Mbeki.

South Africa's Arts and Culture, Science and Technology Minister Ben Ngubane said: "On behalf of the president, on behalf of the people of South Africa, we recognise Amitabh Bachchan for the wonderful work he has done".

"There is a big audience for Indian films among South African Indians, but also other racial groups and this is growing. There is nothing as effective as the moving image on the screen in transmitting racial tolerance and inter-cultural understanding. We consider Amitabh Bachchan to be one of the best friends of South Africa internationally. He is an unpaid ambassador of South Africa," he added.