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COMING NEXT: FILMS SHOT IN UP
Films releasing on next five Fridays will have a local connect
It’s raining films on Uttar Pradesh. Starting July 28, film buffs will get to watch back-to-back movies shot in the state.
Out of five films being released in July 28 to August 25 period, four have been shot in the state capital — Baraat Company, Mr Kabadi, Bareilly Ki Barfi and Babumoshai Bandookbaaz. Akshay Kumar starrer Toilet Ek Prem Katha was shot in Mathura and Agra.
Other movies releasing in September are Farhan Akhtar’s Lucknow Central, Sanjay Dutt’s Bhoomi and Vedita Pratap Singh’s JD .
First to hit the screen is Baaraat Company, helmed by Sayed Ahmed Afzal (director of Laal Rang), this Friday. The film stars Sandeepa Dhar, Ranveer Kumar, Anurita Jha and Vishal Karwal. “We shot the entire film in straight 40 days during chilling winters. We created a Shaadi Gali (in Aminabad) for the film and had lot of fun shooting the film in Lucknow. We hope that our audience enjoys the film. With the comfort we got in shooting here we intend to being our next project in UP too,” says producer Archana Chanda.
Allahabad native and National Award winning director Tigmanshu Dhulia’s film Raag Desh on INA trials too releases on July 28.
The outdoor of the film have been shot in Dehradun. “It’s important that a period film opens a dialogue with the audience. It will compel people to think that we got independence after so much of sacrifices. 26,000 INA soldiers died during the struggle. It talks about Netaji’s ideology,” says Tigmanshu, whose Bullet Raja was shot in Lucknow.
Releasing next Friday is Seema Kapoor’s directorial debut Mr Kabaadi.
The film stars her elder brother Annu Kapoor, Vinay Pathak and Sarika. Kapoor’s husband Om Puri also played a role in the film and shot for a qawalli here. The film is in situational comedy genre and entirely shot here — largely in Gomti Nagar area. Bhajan singer Anup Jalota has produced the film.
Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Padnekar starrer Toilet Ek Prem Katha was shot in Mathura-Vrindavan. The satirical comedy film supports the government’s initiative of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and has earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promoting cleanliness.
The two August releases, Bareilly Ki Barfi and Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, have also been shot in Lucknow.
‘Nil Bate Sannata’ director Ashwani Iyer Tiwari’s Bareilly Ki Barfi stars Ayushmaan Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Sanon.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Bidita Bag starrer actionpacked Babumoshai Bandookbaaz was largely shot on city’s outskirts last year during summers.
Aroon Singh Dicky, who line produced these two films along with Mr Kabadi and Lucknow Central, tells HT City, “This is one good phase when we have so many release of film that have been shot in Lucknow and UP. Four projects that we shot last year will be released in a short span. Hope that so many showcases bring more projects to the city.”
September will see Lucknow Central releasing first. Directed by Ranjit Tiwari, the film is based on jail inmates who form a band. The film stars Farhan Akhtar, Diana Penty and Deepak Dobriyal.
September 22 will have journalist-turned-filmmaker Shailendra Pandey’s debut film JD that was shot in Lucknow in 2015. It stars Lucknow girl Vedita Pratap Singh, Jay Diwedi and Govind Namdev.
ON the same day, Sanjay Dutt’s comeback film Bhoomi will be released that was extensively shot in Agra with Shekhar Suman and Aditi Rao Hydari.