Telugu Stars And Filmmakers Explore Exotic Foreign Locales
Apart from the visual appeal, financial incentives offered by foreign governments are another reason behind the growing interest in overseas locations.
Close on the heels of Varun Tej shooting in South Korea for Korean Kanagaraju, seasoned star Venkatesh is currently filming an important schedule of January 12 Vidudala in Kazakhstan. Telugu filmmakers are increasingly exploring exotic foreign locations, not just to offer audiences a visual spectacle but also to benefit from incentives offered by various countries to attract film productions.
“I am very happy that Telugu films are exploring more picturesque locations in foreign countries to give audiences a visual treat,” says producer Raj Kandukuri. He points out that several countries are keen to promote their cultures and tourist destinations through Indian films. “They encourage Telugu filmmakers to showcase their exotic locations and tourist attractions while granting shooting permissions. It works both ways,” he adds.
Superstar Mahesh Babu's upcoming film Varanasi has also explored international locations, with portions reportedly shot in Antarctica, making it the first Telugu film to shoot in the exotic destination. The team has also wrapped up some portions in Africa. “We believe director S.S. Rajamouli is determined to deliver a visual wonder and explore untapped territories,” says Raj Kandukuri.
Apart from the visual appeal, financial incentives offered by foreign governments are another reason behind the growing interest in overseas locations. While filmmakers earlier travelled abroad largely to shoot songs, they are now filming substantial portions of their movies in foreign countries. The UK, US, South Africa, several European countries, Australia and Dubai are among the destinations that offer reimbursements ranging from 20 to 60 per cent of eligible production expenditure incurred locally as part of their tourism promotion initiatives.
“It is true that foreign countries have partially funded Telugu films shot in their locations, thereby reducing the financial burden on producers to some extent. However, availing these reimbursements involves stringent procedures, including tying up with a local production house, audits and other formalities,” admits producer Abhishek Nama, who shot in the breathtaking mountains of the Grand Canyon in the US and the vast deserts of Dubai for his film Sakshyam.
“I did not apply for subsidies because I preferred those locations as my script demanded them,” he clarifies. He also points out that the makers of Prabhas-starrer Radhe Shyam and Vijay Deverakonda's Fighter may have worked out reimbursement arrangements for their shoots in Europe and the United States, respectively.
In fact, leading producer B.V.S.N. Prasad has made the United Kingdom a frequent shooting destination for several of his productions, including Jr NTR and Rakul Preet Singh's Nannaku Prematho, Varun Tej and Raashi Khanna's Tholi Prema and Akhil Akkineni's Mr Majnu.
“Getting subsidies is not as easy as it is made out to be. The amount is also relatively small after submitting tons of documents,” he explains. He adds that the decision to shoot abroad was largely driven by the scripts rather than financial incentives. “Nannaku Prematho revolved around a Telugu family based in London, while portions of Tholi Prema and Mr Majnu were shot there because the love stories demanded breathtaking visuals. So, our choice was more to do with the scripts than subsidies,” he says.
