We went in 2020 on a very positive note with big ticket films and OTT series heading to Uttar Pradesh. Pandemic brought everything on a standstill but projects shot in state kept viewers entertaining throughout the tough year.

As the unlock phase started, it was again lights, camera and actions across the state and several shoots have already been wrapped. As we step in 2021 there is lot of hope. Film industry and OTT series makers are upbeat about their projects that are ready to roll this year.

The shoot of Kartik Aryan-starrer ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa-2’ got stalled in March last year and is set to resume in Lucknow soon. Rajniesh Duggall’s film ‘Bagawat’ too got stuck in March but restarted and got wrapped in November 2020. John Abraham starrer ‘Satyamev Jayate-2’ was completed in Lucknow and Varanasi while Akshay Kumar shot ‘Atrangi Re’ in Agra.

“We shot ‘Khuda Hafiz’, TV serial ‘Madam Sir’ and BB2 till March while, in unlock phase we shot ‘Chaurasi’ (84) with Zoya Hussain and Pawan Malhotra, Kunal Kohli’s ‘Lahore Confidential’ with Richa Chadha and Arunoday Singh, Saurabh Tewari’s ‘Jackson’, ‘Satyamev Jayaye-2’ while shooting ‘Cop Story’ starring Amit Sial and ‘14 Phere’ with Vikrant Massey and Kriti Kharbanda is underway,” said line-producer Aroon Singh Dicky.

Mahrukh Mirza’s comeback project ‘Tawaif’, web series ‘The Prayag Raj’, Faiz Anwar’s directoral debut ‘Stage Singer’ was also shot and currently shoot of OTT series ‘Hastinapur’ is also underway in Lucknow.

Projects that are expected to start are ‘Mission Majnu’ starring Siddharth Malhotra, next season of ‘Rangbaaz’, Randeep Hooda starrer biopic on ATS cop Avinash Mishra, ‘Khuda Hafiz-2’, ‘Raktanchal-2’ and Pushpendra Nath Misra’s next series.

“Opportunity of shoot were always there but the professionalism that was required we are now getting and that’s the reason people are coming here for shoot,” said Pushpendra, who shot ‘Taj Mahal 1989’ in Lucknow and Agra.

Playing lead Ganesh Acharya shot a dance film ‘Dehati Disco’ at a village in Lucknow said, “It’s the flavour of its Hindi speaking beat, rustic setting, ease of shoot, safe shooting environment during pandemic that brought us here to shoot the entire film with such a large crew here.”

Not only Lucknow, projects are underway in other locations too. Actor Chandan Roy Sanyal who had shot ‘Ashram’ in Ayodhya in early 2020 and film ‘Woh Teen Din’ in Varanasi and ‘Chunar’ with Sanjay Mishra and Rajesh Sharma said, “Once I reached Varanasi and completed the project, I felt very motivated and relaxed. This project was a unique and lifetime experience for me,” he said.

Going forward, with state government now coming up with Film City in Noida the trend of shooting in UP is set to go up manifold.

Streaming in 2020

Gulabo Sitabo

Raat Akeli Hai

Khuda Hafiz

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl

Ginny Weds Sunny

The Last Colour

Thappad

A Suitable Boy

Taj Mahal 1989

Mirzapur-2

Raktanchal

Ashram

Bicchoo ka Khel

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