Written by on Jul 14, 2015. Posted in On Location

Bollywood movie films musical numbers on location in Cardiff

A new Bollywood movie has filmed multiple musical numbers in Welsh capital Cardiff. Aashiqui has shot scenes at locations including Cardiff Castle, City Hall and Cardiff Bay, and could help boost Indian film tourism to Wales when the film is released later this year.

“This is the first time any Bollywood movie has filmed this many songs in Cardiff, so it’s going to provide great exposure and publicity for the city,” producer Himan Shu Dhanuka told WalesOnline:

“[India has] a population of 1.25 billion - and they will get to see Cardiff in all its glory.”

“The rain hasn’t bothered us too much at all,” added UK line producer Sushanto Sarkar to the outlet: “We expected it anyway and that, as well as the shoppers who are passing by, all gives a real feel of Cardiff.

“The story’s about this young couple going around the city’s streets and attractions, so it all adds to it. It’s a nice, uplifting film and it’s going to capture Cardiff beautifully.”

Cardiff and the South Wales region are increasingly popular international filming locations. Long-running US adventure series Da Vinci’s Demons (above) has spent the past few years doubling the Swansea area for Renaissance Italy, and new historical drama The Bastard Executioner is also set to film a full season in the region.

Later this year post-production specialist Dragon will re-launch as a major South Wales technology hub in Bridgend.

Cardiff offers Pinewood Studio Wales as a production base, while The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol also offers easy access to South Wales. Several productions filming in the Cardiff and Swansea region have shot in converted studio facilities.

(Da Vinci's Demons image: Tonto Films and Television Limited; Main page image: Jvhertum, via Wikipedia)