The cold waves had put a pause on outdoor shoots in the capital, but with the weather mellowing, film shoot season has officially begun in Delhi
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; February 9, 2023)

Last month, when Delhi recorded consecutive days of cold wave and smog, several film shoots were impacted and line producers told us that production houses had to do a lot of changes in shoot schedules. While Delhi’s infamous winter may have put a temporary pause on shoots, from this month, several series and movies from across the world are lined up for shoot in Delhi, say line producers.

OVER 10 INDIAN PROJECTS LINED UP FOR FEBRUARY
Recently, Animal starring Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna was filmed at Miranda House and at a few locations in Old Delhi, which were off-limits in January because of Republic Day preps. Rahul Singh, a line producer, adds, “Last month, due to Republic Day, several areas were blocked and it is indeed difficult to get permission for shoots in those areas in January, so we do not even attempt it. Right now, it is the ideal time for film shoots in Delhi, and that’s why we are witnessing this rush.”

Line producers say that they had expected shoots to show a strong recovery in February given how several projects were in the pipeline. Javed, a line producer, says, “February is the month when Delhi’s shooting season officially begins. Until now shoots were mostly done indoors, as outdoor locations were covered in smog. But Feb shoot numbers seem to have exceeded even our expectations.”

Agrees Sumit Tyagi, a line producer, who shares, “From now until the monsoon hits, it is indeed going to be hectic. Besides, it is not just films, so many web series also have Delhi-centric plots.”

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS ON DELHI’S SHOOT CALENDAR
Multiple international productions are expected to be shot at various locations in the capital, including the markets of Connaught Place and Old Delhi. Rahul adds, “In fact, the next couple of months are going to be really busy. We also have enquiries from international filmmakers for which final dates are yet to be confirmed. ”

FILM SHOOTS SCHEDULED IN FEB AND UPCOMING MONTHS
- Scam (second season)
- Murder Mubarak
- R Madhavan’s film Hisaab Barabar
- Anubhav Sinha’s next project
- Nikkhil Advani’s Freedom At Midnight

Apart from these, three web series and major Hollywood projects will also be shot