View of the new

PALLAVI KHARADE / TNN / Jul 28, 2007, 00:00 IST

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Bollywood filmmakers are now moving towards virgin landscapes, in search of new shoot location.

Filmmakers are exploring unusual locations to cash in on virgin landscapes. PT reports
Novelty is visible in every sphere of filmmaking in Bollywood. Experimentation is the new driving force, leading to use of new locales for imparting an element of freshness to the film’s look.
Indeed, many among today’s filmmakers are not heading to Switzerland or New Zealand, the obvious places. Instead, they are opting for countries like Turkey, Croatia and Vietnam.
Filmmaker Mani Ratnam shot part of Guru in Istanbul. And now, Apoorva Lakhia, director of Shootout at Lokhandwala, is getting ready to shoot part of his new film, Mission Istanbul, in the culturally rich Turkey.

Along with Turkey, Croatia seems to be becoming increasingly popular among filmmakers. In fact, legendary actor-director Dev Anand is going to shoot his next film, When Heartbeats Are The Same, in this country. Similarly, Vietnam, the country of exotic beaches and lush green mountains, is also another popular destination for filmmakers.
There are two reasons why the little-known places have suddenly found favour with Bollywood filmmakers. Not only are they pocket-friendly, but also because of the fact that Indian filmmakers are viewed as cultural ambassadors by the respective countries and offered incentives to shoot there.

Add to this, facts like virgin landscapes and beaches, and the temptation becomes truly irresistible. Shubada Joshi, director of a travelling agency, says, “Watching the same locales again and again can get very boring for the audience. Turkey, Croatia and Vietnam, which have been hitherto unexplored, have visually very appealing virgin territories. That’s the major reason why filmmakers are making a beeline for these locations.”
Hussain Shaikh, producer, says, “As the tourism departments of these countries want to promote their country and, in turn, their tourism, they are inviting filmmakers to shoot there. In fact, the tourism departments even have meetings with the filmmakers, and they are offering us incentives to shoot in their country. They want us to promote their tourist spots through our films, and attract Indian tourists.”
So, the next time you go to watch a film, don’t be surprised if you see an unfamiliar country. Indeed, it will be so much better if you go to watch a film, expecting surprises not only in terms of the story, but the locales as well.

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