Hyderabad: Hyderabad has become a hot favourite with Bollywood directors for shooting their movies. And, why not? Hyderabad has it all, from chic, urbane settings to an abundance of natural beauty.
For an urban look, Hyderabad has Hitec City and Gachibowli, it has lakes and palaces, places like old city and for an old-world, historic look there is Golconda Fort. More than four movies like Bobby Jasoos, Daawat-E-Ishq, Jai Ho and Singham 2 among others, have been shot in Hyderabad within the span of a year.
In an earlier interview, the director of Daawat-E-Ishq, Habeeb Faisal, too, had mentioned that it is easier to shoot in Hyderabad because it has “the right mix of modern and an old city feel to it”. Nandini Reddy, who has directed movies like Ala Modalaindi and Jabardasth, says that it is cheaper to shoot in Hyderabad than in Chennai and Mumbai.
“Everything in and around Hyderabad is within a 20 km radius so that reduces travel time. Actors, unlike in Mumbai, can reach their shooting location within 30 minutes. Also, the city has a lot of variety to offer. If you want a village backdrop, you can shoot in Chevella. The city also has coffee shops and shopping malls, where you can acquire shooting permission at a cheaper price compared to other cities. So Hyderabad comes as a package,” she says.
The director also adds that this is not something new but has been there since the era of Govinda. She says, “Hyderabad has been famous as a shooting location since the 90s. It was one of David Dhawan’s favourite choice. And, it is great to see that the city is bouncing back as the current favourite. Movies like Bobby Jasoos, where the script is based in Hyderabad, serve as a testament to the city’s culture. It is good to see that mainstream Bollywood cinema is once again coming to the city for shoots.”
Prema Ishq Kaadhal director, Pavan Sadineni, states another aspect. He says that it is the easy permissions that directors can acquire which makes Hyderabad their favourite city for shooting. “Getting permission in Hyderabad is very easy when compared to Mumbai. For example, if you want to shoot a scene on a flyover or any other crowded place, then you can get the permission for it very easily. Whereas, in Mumbai, you wont be able to shoot on roads. It is also easier to control the crowd in Hyderabad.”
He adds, “Many movies are coming to Hyderabad. In Bobby Jasoos we see Vidya Balan going across Charminar and Gandipet. And not only Bollywood, even several Kollywood films are being shot in the city. They used to prefer Goa earlier, but the cost of production is high there. Hyderabad is very cost effective.”
One point that both the directors agree on is the weather. Nandini says, “The major advantage that the city has is its weather. It is very convenient to shoot here throughout the year.” Pavan agrees and says, “After the division of state, the film industry might be based out of Hyderabad and Vizag. While Vizag will give you lots of scenic locations, the weather would be a big no-no! It is not sultry and humid in Hyderabad like it is in Vizag. So climate of the city is obviously a huge plus point.”
With more and more Bollywood movies coming to the city, this could be Hyderabad's as well as Telangana's strong point to cash on. And with a lot of variety that the city has to offer, it might soon become every director’s favourite. And here we are not talking about the film studios based out of Hyderabad, but the authenticity that the other parts of the city offer, making it a favourite among directors.
