Written by on Sep 29, 2014. Posted in On Location

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar films thriller Baby in desert terrain of Abu Dhabi

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar has spent ten days filming on location in and around Abu Dhabi for his new thriller Baby. The city is a particularly popular setting for Bollywood movies because of the proximity to Mumbai and films can now get a 30% filming incentive.

“For this film, we needed rough desert terrain and an Arabian airport,” said Kumar, in an interview with the National: “Plus, you just can’t shoot like this in Mumbai. They won’t close a part of the street for you – they’d rather close the shoot.”

Added co-star Rana Daggubatti to the outlet: “You get proper police protection here. All the equipment you need is available. There are good locations and we’ve got everything we want here. The weather at this time of year is the only bad thing, shooting action sequences in nearly 50-degree heat.”

Baby marks Kumar’s second Abu Dhabi shoot in four years and the star plans to return in a couple of years for his upcoming thriller Airlift.

You just can’t shoot like this in Mumbai. They won’t close a part of the street for you – they’d rather close the shoot.

Akshay Kumar, Actor

The city’s 30% filming incentive is a big part of Abu Dhabi’s growing appeal for Hollywood productions. Fast & Furious 7 filmed stunt sequences in the city earlier this year and the city had an even bigger success by securing part of the shoot for Star Wars: Episode VII. A specially-built set near the city is suspected to have stood in for the alien planet Tatooine in the new film, which is due out in December 2015.

A new direct flight route between Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi could help boost US interest in the United Arab Emirates. The flight route could encourage more US-based producers to consider both Abu Dhabi and Dubai as filming locations by minimising travel inconveniences.

(Image: Abu Dhabi Film Commission)