A strong group of leading Bollywood Production Houses such as Raju Hirani Films, Red Chillies, Lyca, Reliance Entertainment and CEO of Producers Guild of India among others were recently hosted in Turkey for a familiarization tour . The trip spanning from December 2 to 7 witnessed the crème de la crème of Bollywood.
Turkiye and Bollywood have had a long-standing strong relationship and their collaborations have always been fruitful. Before the pandemic, major blockbusters like Race 2, Dil Dhadakne Do and Ek Tha Tiger were shot in Turkey, showcasing the country’s scenic beauty and breathtaking grandeur. After the pandemic, as soon as travel restrictions were lifted, Indian superstars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif visited Turkiye to complete the shooting of their upcoming 2023 film, Tiger 3. The title track of the film was shot in the breathtaking landscapes of Istanbul and Cappadocia, with even Turkish actors are part of the film for an action sequence.
Despite the pandemic, Indian production companies have consistently shown significant interest in shooting films in Turkey. This familiarization tour allowed the Production Houses to explore the famous and famous cities of Turkey. During their five-day trip, representatives of these production houses explored Antalya and Istanbul from a film location perspective. Visitors were given the opportunity to interact and have one-on-one meetings with the line’s local producers to gain a better understanding of the filmmaking process in Turkey. A key point of this FAM was the discussion of these Bollywood representatives with the Turkish General Directorate of Film about the incentives available to Production Companies, in case they intend to shoot their upcoming projects in Turkey.
Nitin Tej Ahuja, CEO of Producers Guild of India thanked the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Turkey and the Embassy of Turkey in Delhi, for conducting the familiarization tour for Bollywood Production Houses. “We have been overwhelmed not only by the natural beauty of the country and the various film options it offers, but also by the warmth and hospitality of the people in Turkey. I believe there is huge potential to host many Indian productions here, not only in films but also in TV and OTT/web,” he added.
Aashish Singh, producer of Lyca Productions said, “I was fortunate enough to work in Turkiye with Yash Raj Films for Ek Tha Tiger and it was an incredible experience. Turkiye now also offers a great discount on the filmmaking process and I urge production houses to consider it and plan to shoot their upcoming projects in Turkey.”
Describing the initiative as a huge success, one of the representatives of the Turkiye Tourism Board commented, “Turkey, along with other relevant authorities, is keen to host most of the Indian film productions. We believe that Indian films will help the charming and spectacular beauty of Turkiye reach a wider audience and boost the mutual tourism flow between Turkey and India.”
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