Cameras are back in motion in Lucknow as films, web series and television shows shootings are in full swing in the city that continues to be a hot favourite destination for the film makers. Post Coronavirus pandemic, as various sectors are back to work, so is the movie business. After a hiatus of two years, shoots are back in Lucknow with a bang, feel the stakeholders of the industry.

“Although the pandemic was a very dull phase for us work-wise as no shootings were taking place and those which had been planned also were postponed, yet the past year has been a very busy one for us,” says Aroon Singh Dicky, line producer in Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh who’s worked on projects like the web show Mirzapur with Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Rangbaaz with Vineet Singh, films Uunchai with Sooraj Barjatya, Amitabh Bachchan and Bawaal with Varun Dhawan and Jahnvi Kapoor in recent times.

“It’s been a hectic year for us shoot wise,” says Ashish Jain, another line producer in Lucknow who’s managed shooting of Chhatriwali in the city.

With several projects being shot simultaneously, the tribe of line producers in the city has also increased. “Now it is not just films but also regional films, web series and television shows that are being shot in not just Lucknow but across the state. And because of that there is more demand for line producers and technicians in UP. That has led to a lot many people taking up the work of line producers,” says Yogesh Tripathi who has worked on projects like Kanjoos Makkhi Choos with Kunal Kemmu, Gadar 2 with Sunny Deol.

The increase in the number of shoots has also led to an increase in the revenue earned by the city from production houses. “There has been a marked increase in the prices of private properties that we shoot in,” says Ashish Jain. “Although the government has not increased its fees, private players have hiked the amount they charge from production houses,” says Dicky.

If earlier the fees charged for a single day shoot at a house in Lucknow was 20-30 thousand per day, it has increased to around 50,000 per day, depending on the project and the production house, say line producers.

“The fees of the local artistes has also increased in the past couple of years,” says Ashish. “Local actors can now charge anything from Rs. 3000 to 15,000 these day and the fees for a crowd for each person can range from anywhere between Rs. 800-1500,” he adds.

- Bhaukal 2

- Khuda Haafiz 2

- Jamtara 2

- Bheed

- Chhatriwali

- Mirzapur 3

- Bawaal

- Rangbaaz 3

- Vikram Vedha

- Chhatriwali

- Gadar 2

- Jahan Chaar Yaar

- Dasvi

- Bhool Bhulaiya 2