Never mind the glitzy onscreen avatar, those filmy locations could just as well be your local temple or the college round the corner. Ace Anchor.
Ace Anchor: Never mind the glitzy onscreen avatar, those filmy locations could just as well be your local temple or the college round the corner.
Deity’s blessings
You can’t miss the Siddhivinayak Temple at Prabhadevi, especially if you have seen Mahesh Manjrekar’s film ‘Viruddh’ where Amitabh Bachchan prays to the deity. “I didn’t shoot inside the temple,” clarifies director Manjrekar, “I only shot the exteriors of Siddhivinayak. The remaining portions were shot in a temple in Vile Parle.”
There have been other projects which have utilised this temple for shooting purposes. “We have had a Marathi film being shot within the premises,” says Sanjay Bhagwat, CEO Siddhivinayak Temple. “We don’t charge them but they have to ask for permission from the committee.” Care is taken not to disrupt the daily functioning of the temple or inconvenience devotees.
Campus rules
At Sophia College, shooting on campus premises can commence only Sundays, public holidays and vacations. “We make sure that only certain areas are given out and it doesn’t disturb the regular functioning of the college,” says a senior official of the college. Even then, the college authorities make sure that their staff’s around to supervise the proceedings.
While seeking permission, “They have to submit a synopsis of what they will be shooting and we make sure that there is nothing objectionable.”
As for funds raised, “The money collected goes towards maintenance of the college, which is a heritage building.” As far as shooting on the premises goes, says director Ken Ghosh who shot ‘Ishq Vishk’ here, “It is the only college which has an old feel to it. Shooting there was great fun with just a few lighting problems.”
Disco shots
Other hot spots for film shootings are night clubs like South Mumbai’s Velocity. Remember Aishwarya Rai in ‘Shabd’. “The rent is constantly going up. “As a night club Velocity is only operational during the night, so I let it out during the day,” explains its owner Wasim Khan.
As for terms, Khan says it depends on the shoot. “We tell them to get their own generators as we don’t supply electricity.” Payments are made according to shifts of eight hours each. “Though it’s an oft featured location I felt I could bring my own interpretation to it,” says director Leena Yadav who found in Velocity the head space to execute all her top angle shots for the sequence in ‘Shabd’.
Alternative venues
Marine Drive
Bandra Bandstand
Haji Ali
Asiatic library stairs
Mount Mary Church
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