Jor

Yuva

Parineeta

The Bong Connection

Koel Mullick at a mall

Antarmahal

Sunglass

Dum Dum airport

Films shot: Prabhat Roy’s Pitribhumi and Swapan Saha’s Jor were shot at the international terminal entrance. In Jor, Jeet comes to see off Varsha, who is about to leave for the US. Anjan Dutt’s The Bong Connection had a scene inside the airport with Raima Sen, Shayan Munshi and Parambrata.

The process: Submit an application to the airport director along with a caution deposit of Rs 1.2 lakh. The money is refunded provided no damage is done to the spot.

Rent: For Rs 30,000 per hour at the international terminal entrance, Dum Dum airport is the most expensive shot spot in town.

Voiceover: “Although shooting at the airport is expensive, makers prefer it to lend authenticity to a film. It is far too expensive to create an airport on the sets and it would lack originality. We usually get permission to shoot at the international gate but never at the domestic entrance, which is always very crowded,” says Prabhat Roy.

Trams

Films shot: Swapan Saha’s MLA Fatakesto and Minister Fatakesto, Mani Ratnam’s Yuva, Rituparno Ghosh’s Dahan. Vivek Oberoi romancing Kareena Kapoor on a tram in Yuva was a hurrah point for the city.

The process: A written application has to reach the Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) at least a couple of days before shooting. The production team has to hire an entire tram and can shoot in any zone.

Rent: Rs 11,000 per hour.

Voiceover: “The Fatakesto scripts needed tram scenes and it was impossible to create a tram on the set. Getting permission is no hassle if you let the CTC know a couple of days in advance,” says Srikant Mohta of Shree Venkatesh Films, producer of the Fatakesto films.

Prinsep Ghat

Films shot: Riingo’s Kranti and Love (under-production), Pradeep Sarkar’s Parineeta. The song sequence with Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan in Parineeta put the giant white columns of Prinsep Ghat on the Bollywood country’s map.

The process: The production team writes to the Howrah River Bridge Commissioners a few days before the shoot.

Rent: Rs 10,000 per hour.

Voiceover: “The place is very picturesque and the pillars are classic. The Vidyasagar Setu overlooking it gives it a grand appeal. The spot enhances the visual quality of a film,” says Riingo.

Five-star hotels

Films shot: A portion of Anjan Dutt’s BBD was shot inside a Hyatt Regency suite with Naseeruddin Shah and Jimmy Sheirgill. Dutt had earlier shot a nightclub scene at Someplace Else in The Park with Shayan and Raima for The Bong Connection. Last month, Rituparno Ghosh camped at Hyatt with Bipasha Basu for a day to shoot a sequence in Shob Charitro Kalponik.

The process: Send a written application to the hotel authorities well in advance, stating the details of the shoot and location (banquet, suite, swimming pool or restaurant).

Rent: Tariffs vary from day to day. For the BBD shoot at Hyatt, Dutt’s team forked out Rs 50,000 per day.

Voiceover: “We often provide a package of furniture and accessories, depending on who is approaching us and what their needs are,” says Neha Arya of Hyatt Regency.

Shopping malls

Films shot: Bappaditya Bandopadhyay’s Kaal, Rituparno Ghosh’s yet-to-release Sunglass with Konkona Sensharma, Madhavan and Tota Roy Chowdhury; Prabir Nandy’s under-production Bangal Ghoti Fatafati with Jisshu Sengupta and Koel Mullick. The films were shot at Forum, City Centre and a Big Bazaar outlet.

The process: An application mentioning the zones and shooting period has to reach the executive head of the shopping mall at least a week before. “The ideal time is either early morning or afternoon. We allow shooting only in the lobby. To shoot inside the shops, the production team has to take permission separately from the shop-owners. Weekends are a no-no,” says Aditya Mehta, executive assistant, Forum.

Rent: Rs 10,000 for four hours with lights and generator (at Forum).

Voiceover: “It is very expensive and next to impossible to recreate the feel of a shopping mall on the set,” says Bappaditya Bandopadhyay.

Palaces and mansions

Films shot: Raja Sen’s Krishnakanter Will starring Swastika and Jeet was shot in Hedua Lahabari, Khannan Rajbari in Burdwan and Bali Rajbari. The two Lahabaris in Thanthania and Hedua and Bali Rajbari also played host to the Chokher Bali, Antarmahal and Parineeta teams.

The process: Shoot a letter to the trustees mentioning the dates and shooting period. Dates are allotted on the basis of availability.

Rent: The Hedua Lahabari takes Rs 10,000 for eight hours, while the Bali and Khannan Rajbaris demand Rs 30,000 for a day. Extra charges for using furniture of the household. The cost of lights and generator is borne by the production house.

Voiceover: “For Krishnakanter Will, I had to shoot in various mansions for five-six days since the story demanded it. There was no point in designing a set. But I opted for a set while shooting for Devipaksha as we needed to shoot in one place for 26 days,” says Raja Sen.

Howrah Bridge-Vidyasagar Setu

Films shot: Remember the spine-chilling fight between Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan and Vivek Oberoi in Yuva shot on Vidyasagar Setu? Last year, the Sunglass team blocked the bridge for a while. More recently, TV actress Chandreyee Ghosh chose Howrah Bridge to shoot her debut film Samo, the Equals.

The process: Send a written application to Calcutta Port Trust and home (police) department. The production house has to seek permission from Lalbazar too.

Rent: Rs 20,000 a day, to be paid to Calcutta Port Trust.

Voiceover: “Shooting on the Howrah Bridge is extremely difficult. It’s one of the busiest spots in the city. We usually get permission to shoot either early in the morning or late in the night,” says Pritam Chowdhury, production manager.

(Which other city spot would you recommend for a shoot? Tell t2@abpmail.com)