James Bond 23: India orders backtrack on 'illegal' rooftop train stunt

The Indian government has asked the makers of the new James Bond movie to rewrite a planned action sequence showing people travelling on the roof of a state-run train service. The film-makers have agreed to amend the scene, which originally had James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) jumping from a motorbike on to the packed roof of a moving train, before leaping on to a second similarly crowded carriage. The new scene will include the roof-top action, but have passengers inside the train only. "Rooftop travel is illegal in India and it cannot be encouraged," Indian Railways minister Dinesh Trivedi told AFP. He voiced concerns that the film's original script would have created a false impression about rooftop travel, which is used by some Indians as a way of avoiding rail fares. "There are many trains in India and not all trains have people travelling on the rooftops," said Trivedi. Train travel, while still India's most popular means of covering long distances, is facing increasing competition from private airlines. The filming of a major action film atop the carriages of Indian Railways could boost publicity for the company, which runs the world's second-largest railway. "I have proposed that the spy say something like: 'Indian Railways is as strong as James Bond'," said Trivedi. The as-yet-untitled 23rd James Bond film will be directed by Sam Mendes and is likely to be partly shot in Mumbai and Delhi. If so, it will be the second film of the franchise after 1983's Octopussy to have scenes filmed in the country. Octopussy, starring Roger Moore as 007, also featured an action sequence filmed on (and under) a train. The passengers on that occasion were all safely in their seats.