Itishree Misra (LUCKNOW TIMES; January 7, 2019)

Uttar Pradesh, especially Lucknow, was a hot destination for film shoots all of 2018. Big ticket stars shot for their respective films in Lucknow in the past year, including South Indian sensation Rajinikanth who shot for Petta in Lucknow and Varanasi, Sanjay Dutt for Prassthanam, Emraan Hashmi for Why Cheat India, Sidharth Malhotra-Parineeti Chopra for Jabariya Jodi and John Abraham for Batla House.

In fact, Richa Chadha, Amyra Dastur, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Divya Dutta, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Jimmy Sheirgill and Saurabh Shukla, Akshay Oberoi, also shot for films in and around Lucknow in the year gone by.

Meanwhile, Hrithik Roshan shot in Varanasi for Super 30 as did Aftab Shivdasani and Shreyad Talpade who shot for Setters. And while that was last year, this year too promises an impressive lineup of films to be shot in UP.

Here’s looking at a few films that are scheduled to be shot in the state and its capital in the first half of the year.

After shooting for Mulk and Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai in Lucknow, Banarasi Anubhav Sinha is in for a hat trick by shooting his next tentatively titled Kanpur Dehat, this year from February-March onwards. The Mulk directore says, “This movie is set against a rural background and is based on a subject which I want to tell to the people. I wanted to show a small town in the film hence the title Kanpur Dehat, but the actual place has changed so much that I may look for another location and also change the name of the film.” Sinha is expected to shoot the film in Gosainganj, Sultanpur, Malihabad, among other places in and around Lucknow. While the cast of his film is yet to be finalised, grapevine suggests Ayuhsmann Khurrana’s name among the front runners.

Ayushmann, who’s had a superb box office run in 2018, will also be shooting for Amar Kaushik’s next to be shot in Lucknow and Kanpur from April onwards. Titled Bala, Khurana plays the lead in the film, a man who’s fighting hair fall, and pairs with his Dum Laga Ke Haisha and Shubh Mangal Savdhan co-star Bhumi Pednekar. “I plan to start shooting Bala sometime during middle of next year when the summer begins. Bahut sardiyan dekhi hain humne North India ki, abki socha thodi garmi bhi dekhi jaye. The main shooting will be done in Kanpur and then Lucknow,” said Kaushik while in Lucknow for the recce.

Next on the line will be Iulia Vantur’s Radha Kyon Gori Main Kyon Kaala which will be shot in Mathura extensively. “The shooting of this film will begin in Mathura by February end,” informs Rati Shankar Tripathi, the line producer. Iulia will play a Krishna devotee in the film which will be directed by Prem R Soni. The story is based on true incidents in which a foreigner was assaulted while on a trip to India.

February will also witness the presence of actor Nana Patekar in a film shoot that is expected to begin by the end of next month. “The film was stalled for sometime due to the controversy in which Nana sir was involved, but now, it's back on track and will be shot soon in Lucknow,” informs a source involved with the film production.

And the action will continue with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhike Apte reaching Lucknow soon to begin shooting for casting director Honey Trehan’s directorial debut Raat Akeli Hai. The Talvar creative producer, “Trehan will begin shooting for his movie in the city from January 21. The film also stars Tigmanshu Dhulia and Ila Arun and will be shot in Lucknow and Kanpur,” informs Aroon Singh Dicky, the line producer.

The initial recce for the Salman Khan-starrer Dabangg 3 has also been conducted in Malihabad, Lucknow and also Noida. “While half of the film is expected to be shot in and around Lucknow, the rest of it will be canned in Noida from March end onwards,” informs one of the line producers of the film.

This year Prayagraj too comes into the main frame with Siddharth Roy Kapur planning a film on the famed Bhula Bhatka Shivir of the Kumbh Mela. “This the story of Rajaram Tiwari who has since 1946 helped reunite lakhs of people lost in the Kumbh Mela,” informs Rati Shankar Tripathi, the line producer. “Kapur is expected to begin shooting of the film from March-April onwards. The film will also feature scenes from the Kumbh Mela that’s to start soon,” adds Tripathi.

Janhvi Kapoor may also be shooting in the city for the biopic she’s starring in on Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Sharma. “The team of the production house had come to Lucknow last year and they are mulling over shooting some parts of the film in the state,” informs a source. “Talks are also on for an Aamir Khan starrer to be shot in Lucknow and Kanpur,” informs the same source, adding, “The recce and all has been done, they just have to finalise the shooting dates which is expected to be sometime in March 2019.”

Research for a film on Lakhnawi cuisine has also been done and the filmmakers are looking at Akshay Kumar to star in it. “The story is based on Lucknow ka khana, biryani and kebas, how they came into being, who made them first, the recipe and all information pertaining to them,” says a person closely associated with the project.”





(Top) Anubhav Sinha during the recce of his third film in Lucknow and (above) Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte will come together for Honey Trehan’s film