Filming for Bollywood film ‘Bang Bang’ begins in Abu Dhabi

Filming has taken place at various locations in the capital, and Katrina Kaif and Hrithik Roshan are withstanding the heat quite well.

The actors Katrina Kaif, left, and Hritik Roshan. AFP
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The filming of one of the most hotly anticipated films of 2014, the Bollywood blockbuster Bang Bang, has begun in earnest in the capital, with its superstars Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif arriving yesterday.

The film is being shot by a production team led by the director Siddharth Anand and the Hollywood action director Andy Armstrong, whose credits include Spider-Man, Thor and The Green Hornet.

A source working on the film revealed that the reason the Corniche was shut on Friday was due to a high-speed chase scene filmed there. A resident of Baynounah Towers on the Corniche, who watched from her apartment as a sports car wove in and out of traffic on Friday, said: “It was quite amusing to watch. The sports car was going at about 80 kph and the other cars were doing about 30 kph, then when they’d shot the scene, they’d have to all reverse back at the same time for the next take.”

The source on the film’s production unit also revealed that the film would include scenes featuring some of Abu Dhabi’s best-known landmarks. “We would like to film at Emirates Palace, but we haven’t decided yet. We will also be shooting at the Capital Gate [hotel].”

The leaning tower — known to some as Abu Dhabi’s own Tower of Pisa — is on the film location map and is bound to attract more Indian visitors to enjoy its panoramic views.

“We were filming at the ‘bridge to nowhere’ on Saturday, as this is a quiet spot which is ideal for action scenes,” the source said. “We don’t have plans to actually film at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, out of respect for the people who would be using the space, but we will try to feature the landmark in some way from a distance.

“Hrithik and Katrina are happy to be here, and are coping well with the heat — it’s also hot in India at the moment. In Mumbai, it’s not much cooler than here, and these are very professional actors who are used to working in all conditions.

“So far, the filming is going very well and we’re very happy to be here in Abu Dhabi. But the stars won’t get much time off for sightseeing as we have a hectic schedule. It’s a very international crew we have here — there are some local crew who are joining us, and we have Hollywood experts as well as Indian specialists on crew. I hope there won’t be any more road closures as a result of filming, but I cannot guarantee it. We will be filming along the Corniche.”

The Bang Bang cast and crew will be in the UAE until the end of the month. The film is due out on October 2 in the UAE.

artslife@thenational.ae