Shooting begins at Film City, first studio likely to be ready this year

Noida: Filmmaker Boney Kapoor said his consortium, Bayview Bhutani Film City Pvt Ltd, will complete a four-acre studio at the International Film City in Sector 21 of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority area by the end of this year.

The proposed studio is one of 14 permanent sets planned for the Film City. Spread over four acres, the three-storey facility will include modern sound recording and mixing units, conference rooms, a large dining hall and multiple ready-to-use standing sets typically required for film and television productions.


Kapoor said construction would begin shortly and be completed within the year. "This Film City has been envisioned as a world-class creative hub. We are not just creating buildings, but an ecosystem for storytellers," he said.

The announcement comes as shooting for ‘Mom 2' began on a temporary set at the site on Sunday, making it the first full-length feature film to go on floors at the project along the Yamuna Expressway.

Kapoor added that he plans to shoot three to four of his upcoming films at Jewar. Sets created during current and future shoots will be retained until permanent studios are ready and will be made available free of cost to producers working on OTT platforms and television projects.

Key portions of Mom 2, including parts of the climax, are scheduled to be filmed at the site. The sequel is directed by Girish Kohli, who also co-wrote the 2017 film ‘Mom', and features Khushi Kapoor, Karishma Tanna, Jisshu Sengupta and Manoj Pahwa.

Bhutani Group chief executive officer Ashish Bhutani said the developers aim to facilitate the shooting of at least 10 films in the first year of operations. He described the commencement of filming as a key milestone that would generate employment and spur development in the region.

Bayview Bhutani won the bid in Jan 2024 to develop the Film City at an estimated investment of Rs 1,510 crore over eight years. The consortium also plans to establish a film institute named after late actor Sridevi, offering training across acting, direction, cinematography and technical disciplines. Of the 230 acres earmarked for Phase 1, 155 acres have been designated for industrial use and 75 acres for commercial development. The industrial zone includes 21 acres for the film institute and 134 acres for production facilities.

Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !