Scenic locations, friendly authorities and welcoming locals are some of the reasons why Madhya Pradesh has emerged as one of the hottest shooting destinations in the country
Saptaparna Biswas and Farzana Patowari (BOMBAY TIMES; April 7, 2019)

“Yeh wohi jagah hai jahan Hrithik Roshan ne magarmachh ke saath ladayi kari thi Mohenjo Daro film mein,” yells out the boatman at Bhedaghat of Jabalpur to the tourists he’s ferrying across the Narmada. Around 600 kilometers away from this site, in Maheshwar, fans of Salman Khan proudly brag, “Aaj bhai cycle pe nikle humare ghar ke saamne se.”

It’s just another day in Madhya Pradesh, where big-budget films, famous actors and grand sets have become commonplace, as more and more filmmakers are opting to shoot in the state. It’s not just the scenic locales that attract them towards MP, but also the hospitality of the locals, film-friendly infrastructure and wholehearted support from the state department of tourism. When we spoke to members from the industry, they told us that MP is actually topping the list of shooting destinations in the country.


‘THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS FILMMAKERS’

A key factor, which has led many filmmakers and actors to trust MP for shoots, is the support extended by the local authorities for permissions and access to various heritage and protected structures. Harsh Dave, line producer, who is a part of the crew of Dabangg 3, currently being shot in Maheshwar, says, “The department that handles permissions for film shoots has been extremely supportive to all the teams that have shot in and around Indore. The permission to shoot at Ahilya Fort was granted much before the shoot had started. It was the same for the massive production of Kalank. The permission to shoot at Lal Bagh Palace, which can be seen in the first scene of the teaser, was also granted before the team had arrived. In fact, they also looked after the accommodation for up to 75 team members.” Syed Zaid Ali, a line producer from Bhopal, adds, “In states like Uttar Pradesh, one has to take permission from the local politicians, too. But in MP, not only does the government give permission easily, the people, too, are supportive.”

Even the shoot for the 2016 Oscar nominated Hollywood movie Lion – starring Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel – was conducted peacefully in the remote village of Khandwa. Line producer Pravesh Sahani recounts, “With great efforts and help extended by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism (MPT), we peacefully conducted the shooting in Khandwa and other regions. A local MPT officer was assigned to us for smooth transition through schedules, which was very helpful.”

“I had such an amazing experience in MP that I am planning to shoot my next movie here, too. I felt like I was shooting in a home studio, as the people and administration were so supportive. Also, the shooting cost in these cities is quite economical when compared to the metro cities,” says Amar Kaushik, director of Stree (2018).

SCENIC SITES GALORE

From hills, to ravines and spectacular waterbodies — all coupled with some unexplored heritage structures — MP has tons of scenic shooting locations to offer. Hari Ranjan Rao, MD of MPT’s film tourism board, explains “Since the 80s, many films have been shot in MP’s scenic locations. For example, Bobby was shot in Bhedaghat and Asoka in Pachmarhi. Director Prakash Jha has also explored the forests for films like Chakravyuh. Since the beginning, the green and lush natural landscape that has been a major attraction for filmmakers.”

Actor Aparshakti Khurana adds, “Our entire drive, from Indore to Chanderi, was so beautiful. We recorded so many videos of the lush green landscape. The Chanderi Fort is truly an underrated location. The beauty of these places kept our entire team captivated, and that is what came out in the movie as well.”


‘LOCALS HAVE OPENED UP THEIR HOMES TO HUNDREDS OF CAST AND CREW MEMBERS’

Besides the beauty of the state, the filmmakers unanimously agree that they are touched by the support of the locals. The director of the acclaimed movie Lipstick Under My Burkha, Alankrita Shrivastava, recalls, “We shot in the heart of the walled city of Bhopal, and though curious, the citizens never interrupted or disturbed us during our schedules.”

Director Debamitra Biswas Hasan, who recently shot the Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Athiya Shetty-starrer Motichoor Chaknachoor in Bhopal, says, “We shot in the BHEL colony and the way the people behaved there amazed me. They followed our guidelines religiously.”

Amar remembers how the locals of Chanderi accommodated the team in their own houses. “Around 300 hundred people would be watching our shoot from their windows and terraces, but not a single noise could be heard. I have seen people start hooting as soon as they see something exciting, but here nothing of that sort happened. People even offered us their houses to shoot in and made us feel at home,” he says.

Pravesh Sahani, line producer for Lion, shares a similar anecdote. “We had to house about 200 crew members in the town of Khandwa, and the people there responded warmly. They opened up their homes for us. Even the director of the film, Garth Davis, has fond memories of all his time spent in the state,” he says.

‘THERE IS NO DEARTH OF TALENT IN MADHYA PRADESH’

The fact that Bhopal and Indore have a very active theatre scene means filmmakers can get assistant directors, production team hands and supporting actors from these cities. Actress Aahana Kumra says, “While shooting for Lipstick Under My Burkha, half of the production unit and assistant directors turned out to be folks from the theatre circuit. Finding people for supporting roles at a short notice was never a problem either.”

Prakash Jha, who is credited with putting locations of MP on the film industry’s map, with Rajneeti, Chakravyuh, Aarakshan, and Jai Gangaajal, agrees, “Bhopal is a film city in itself. Besides beautiful locations and supportive administration, it also houses a great talent pool of youngsters, which should be fully explored.”

FILMS SHOT IN MP IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS

Dabangg 3

Motichoor Chaknachoor

Kalank

Stree

Sui Dhaaga

Sanju

Padman Lipstick Under My Burkha

Toilet — Ek Prem Katha

Jai Gangaajal

Mohenjo Daro

Tishnagi