Showing posts with label Central Railway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Central Railway. Show all posts
How Bollywood revenue adds to the coffers of Mumbai's local train network
8:29 AM
Anagha Sawant (BOMBAY TIMES; January 13, 2024)
What is common to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Haseen Dilruba (2021)? It’s a small station named Apta, located two hours from the city, with hills and greenery all around. These four are among a host of Bollywood films that have used the picturesque location of Apta to shoot scenes from the film.
And it’s not just Apta. A host of railway stations in and around Mumbai – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) being the chief among them – has provided a colourful, evocative backdrop for Hindi cinema over the years.
“Most production houses, celebrities, support staff and equipment are in Mumbai. If it is a regular railway track or train scene, shooting around Mumbai is budget-friendly and time-saving,” says Isha Inamdar, who works for an agency that handles such permissions that production houses require.
A Western Railway (WR) official tells us that the trains used in the movies are spare, but working trains, which are usually used as a replacement for routine trains, in case of emergency or maintenance work.
HOW BOLLYWOOD REVENUE ADDS TO THE COFFERS OF MUMBAI’S TRAIN NETWORK
The railways charge Rs. 2 lakh for a one-day shoot. Since 2016, Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) earned over Rs. 7 crore and Rs. 4 crore respectively from film shoots. During its release, Gully Boy was among the highest spenders with Western Railway, paying over Rs. 15 lakh for the shoot. For Central Railway, the Rajinikanth film Darbaar was a huge revenue generator, running up bills to the tune of Rs. 22 lakh plus. Even in the pandemic, WR earned Rs. 67 lakh from shoots in 2021-22. This number went up to Rs. 1.64 crore in the FY 2022-23.
RAILWAY YARDS AND OFFICES ARE SHOOT LOCATIONS TOO
Apart from stations, film crews want to incorporate other locations within railway premises in their shoots. For example, movies such as The Lunchbox, Airlift, Phantom and Gabbar Is Back were filmed inside the Churchgate administrative office of WR to show a typical government office with files and papers stacked on desks. “Offices are usually closed on Sundays and public holidays, so permission to shoot inside the office is only given on holidays,” says a WR official, adding that the rise in OTT content has meant that they are getting more applications for shooting shows and docus on railway premises.
Railway car sheds and yards are the chosen locations for shooting fight scenes, with scenes from movies like Force, Judwaa 2, Commando 3 and others being shot in the yards. “These locations are popular as they have the feel of old godowns and British-era structures,” adds a Central Railway official.
"We scrutinize the script to ensure there are no scenes that show smoking, anti-railway or anti-government scenes, consumption of alcohol or drugs. Depending on the requirements of the shoot, permission for a location is granted within two days," says Sumit Thakur, CPRO, Western Railway.
Central Railway breaks into a song as film shoots rake in Rs. 2.3 crores in a year
8:20 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (December 23, 2022)
Mumbai This may as well be a ‘Chaiyya Chaiyaa’ moment for Central Railway. This year, it has earned over Rs 2.32 crores by letting out its various premises and rail coaches for film shoots. And it’s the highest-ever revenue that Central Railway (CR) has earned in any calendar year.
In all, 14 films were shot on railway property during the year, said a CR spokesperson. “Eight of these were feature films, three web series, a documentary and a short film each and an advertisement at different locations by film makers and production houses,” the spokesperson said.
Of the revenue earned, the highest earnings of Rs 1.27 crore — that’s a chunky 55% of the total amount — came in from feature films shot with the ‘Shooting Special Train’ at Yeola and Kanhegaon stations in Solapur district over a period of more than 18 days. Another feature film shot at Apta station, near Panvel, with a special train for three days raked in Rs 29. 40 lakh.
This year’s windfall gain is almost twice the amount film shoots fetched CR in 2021.
CSMT continues to be the most preferred location with five films shot at this UNESCO World Heritage site, including an ad film. Also, Wathar station en route Pune to Kolhapur, Matheran were preferred for shoots. If the ‘lights, camera, action’ continues to roll this way, CR will surely do a hearty jig!
Central Railway makes Rs. 2.5 crore from film shoots
8:14 AM
Over four films were shot at the different locations at CSMT this financial year
THE TIMES OF INDIA (March 13, 2022)
Mumbai: This financial year, the Central Railway has earned more than Rs 2. 48 crore — highest ever — by offering various premises and rail coaches for film shooting.
“Around 10 films were shot, including, six feature films, two web series, one short film, and an advertisement across different CR locations,” said chief PRO Shivaji Sutar.
Out of the total amount earned, the highest revenue of Rs 1.27 crore was made from the feature film, 2 Brides, shot at Yeola, Kanhegaon stations with shooting special Train for 18 days. Another feature film shot at Adarki Railway Station for nine days fetched Rs. 65.95 lakh.
Other locations used for shooting include, old Wadi Bunder yard, Adarki railway station near Satara, Yeola, Kanhegaon stations between Manmad and Ahmednagar, Dadar, Mulund RPF ground and Matheran Railway station.
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The revenue of Rs 2.48 crore in 2021-2022 is the highest ever earned by Central Railway in any financial year
Rajendra B Aklekar (MID-DAY; March 14, 2022)
Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) seems to be the most preferred shooting location for filmmakers with four films being shot at the location this financial year. One of them includes the OTT film ‘Modern Love – Cutting Chai’, starring Arshad Warsi and Chitrangda Singh.
The other film shooting locations that are popular are old Wadi Bunder yard, Adarki railway station near Satara, Yeola, Kanhegaon stations between Manmad and Ahmednagar, Dadar, Mulund RPF ground and the Matheran railway station.
Around 10 films were shot, including six feature films, two web series, one short film and an advertisement, at different Central Railway locations by various filmmakers and production houses.
The other popular station locations are Apta, Panvel, Lonavala, Khandala, Wathar, Satara and railway yards like Turbhe.
Central Railway earned the highest revenue of Rs 1.27 crore from the feature film ‘2 Brides’ which was shot at Yeola and Kanhegaon stations for 18 days.
Another feature film shot at Adarki railway station with the use of a special train for nine days fetched Rs 65.95 lakh. Despite Coronavirus restrictions in the initial six months of this financial year, Central Railway with its seamless process, attracted production houses to use its locations for film shooting and generated this record revenue.
The revenue earned of Rs 2.48 crore this financial year is the highest ever from film shooting by Central Railway, surpassing the previous highest revenue generated in the year 2013-14 of Rs 1.73 crore. Even after the stringent norms in place during the last financial year i.e 2020-21, the revenue earned was Rs 41.16 lakh.
Anil Kumar Lahoti, General Manager said, “The popular locations like CSMT, the old Wadi Bunder yard, Wathar (near Satara) and the Apta station (in Panvel area) and the initiatives to grant permission to the production houses without any hassles, has enabled Central Railway to earn record revenue from film shoots.”
Shivaji Sutar, Chief Public Relations Officer said “The Central Railway has enabled the shooting of many box office hit films like Slumdog Millionaire, Kaminey, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Ra.One, Raavan, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Dilwale Dulaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dabangg, Darbar, Rang De Basanti, Baaghi, Khakee, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, among others, over the years.”
Central Railway's Apta station is Bollywood's most preferred film shooting location after CSMT station
4:40 PM
Central Railway's Apta station is Bollywood's most preferred film shooting location after CSMT station
Rajendra B Aklekar (MID-DAY; July 30, 2020)
Central Railway's Apta Railway continues to be the most popular film shooting location after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway (CSMT) Station.In the financial year 2019-20, four films were shot at Apta Railway station, including Raat Akeli Hai, Mumbai Saga, and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, and eight films were shot at CSMT, including popular films such as Panga, Choked and Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari.
Speaking to mid-day, Central Railway's chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said, "Apta station is encompassed in camera in numerous film, including the most popular films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Rang De Basanti, Baaghi, Khakee, Shaadi No. 1, 36 China Town, and many other box-office hit films."
Sutar added, "Apta is known for his scenic location with hill on one side and a road nearby a river on the other side and easy road accessibility. Located on the Panvel-Roha route with curvy track and platforms, there is ample space for keeping equipments and parking vanity vans. Such a station with less crowd is a perfect location for film shooting."
Few trains are given a halt at the Apta Railway Station and it is a crossing station. It also has an additional track which makes doubly sweet for the movement of special trains booked for film shooting. Apta is just a 2 hours journey, about 75 km from the Film City, Mumbai. Thereby, Apta Railway Station has become the most preferred location for film shooting of web series, documentaries, and TV serials.
Central Railway has been gifted with many beautiful film shooting locations fulfilling the requirements of the filmmakers. From the most preferred film shooting location Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to the popular stations like Apta, Panvel, Chouk, Lonavala, Khandala, Wathar, Satara and railway yards like Turbhe and Wadi bunder, they have it all.
The permission for the film shooting is granted by the public relations department of Central Railway. Recently to expedite the film shooting permission, a single-window system has been introduced. This simplification of the procedure will enable the filmmakers to obtain permission after submission of the necessary documents along with the script and application mentioning the requirements.
Central Railway earned Rs 1.33 crore from 21 film shootings in 2019-20. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Station earned Rs 44.52 lakh with 8 film shootings including the film 'Panga', while Apta Railway Station earned Rs 22.61 lakh with 4 film shootings. The highest amount of Rs 22.10 lakh was earned from Rajnikant starrer 'Darbaar' shot at Panvel Station. The scenic location Wathar in Pune division earned Rs 37.22 lakh from shooting of three films, including Salman starrer 'Dabangg 3' from which they earned Rs 15.70 lakh, a shot of film 'Laal Singh Chaddha' between Pune to Mumbai and other film shooting locations like Turbhe and Wadi bunder yard.
Though the movement is restricted to contain the spread of COVID-19, Central Railway is hopeful that the beauty of Apta and other such locations will be seen in the movies soon.
About Apta railway station:
Apta railway station is located on the Panvel-Roha route of Central Railway and is situated in Raigad district of Maharashtra. The station is 83.24 km from CSMT via Diva junction. While the station code is APTA, it belongs to the Mumbai Railway division of Central Railway.
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