AP film shoots shifted to Chennai

Chennai, Dec. 25: The attacks on film sets in Hyderabad and the continuing turbulence in the Andhra Pradesh capital might see 25 per cent of film shootings shifting to Chennai, while the rest may go to Vizag or Tirupati. Chennai-based film crews have called off their plans to shoot in Hyderabad, V.C. Guhanathan, president, FEFSI told this newspaper.

Film director Sasikumar who was to shoot his next flick at Hyderabad had called off his plans and would shoot in Madurai instead. “The attack on sets behind Ramoji Rao film city in Hyderabad is a painful development. Sasikumar’s crew has cancelled its planned shoot in Hyderabad due to worsening situation,” said Mr Ramanarayanan, president, Tamil film producers’ council. Mr Ramanarayanan said it was highly likely that a sizable percentage of film shooting planned at Hyderabad would shift to Chennai in the coming days. “Film technicians in Hyderabad consider Chennai as a safe location for their shoots,” he said.

Mr Guhanathan said he would welcome film technicians from Hyderabad to shoot in Chennai till normalcy is restored in the neighbouring state capital. “I have been in touch with film technicians in Hyderabad. They have been discussing about the possibility of shifting their shootings to Tirupati or Vizag. Some of them prefer Chennai as safe locale,” he said.

Mr Guhanathan, who is also national secretary of All India Film Employees Confederation (AIFEC), said FEFSI here would extend a helping hand to the film technicians in the neighbouring state. He said that he expects about 25 per cent of the shootings shift to the city due to worsening law and order situation in A.P capital.