Bollywood comes to the Northwest

BOLLYWOOD COMES TO NORTHWEST

THE Northwest is hoping to become a prime location for future Bollywood feature films.

Last week, Manchester played host to its first Bollywood production, and plans are being made to encourage even more Indian production companies into the region.

India-based, Aim Productions, spent two days filming at the Manchester United football ground for the Bollywood feature film, Goal, due for release later this year.

However, North West Vision (NWV), the film, TV and digital media development agency for the Northwest, hopes that Goal will be the first of many more Bollywood productions to come to the Northwest.

“We’re hopeful this film signals the start of a whole new production base for the Northwest,” says Alice Morrison, Chief Executive of NWV. “We have so much to offer the Bollywood market, which is why we’re sending one of our Film Officers to Frames, the hugely important Mumbai trade festival.”

Cumbria Film Officer, Alan Saywell, will travel to India on March 26, with the intention of attracting Bollywood talent to the region.

“Although the Northwest has had a lot of interest over recent years, we want to strengthen our relationship with the Indian market and get production companies to film here. I’ll be spending five days in India, visiting the Frames industry festival, which is the biggest global convention in Asia,” explains Alan.

Representatives from across India’s media and entertainment industry will be at Frames, and Alan intends to spread the word about what the Northwest has to offer.

“If we can get more Indian production companies to come here then it boosts our visitor economy and there’s a increase in local spend, which benefits the surrounding community,” adds Alan, who was instrumental in encouraging Hopping Mad to choose Cumbria as its main location for the recent Miss Potter feature film.

“The success of Miss Potter has had a huge knock-on effect in terms of cultural tourism in Cumbria,” says Alan. “I’m sure that the Indian market has been impressed by the magnificent scenery seen in the Miss Potter film, and hopefully it will inspire them to think of us when planning future films.

“Cumbria would be ideal for the dream sequences loved by the Bollywood audience, as we have such beautiful, majestic scenery. However, as the recent production at Manchester United’s ground proved, we’ve also got endless other Northwest locations which are just as stunning and impressive.”

Alpina Mishra, Head of Production for UTV, was behind the decision to shoot part of Goal at the United ground. “We haven’t had a sports action film coming out of Bollywood before, so this is a first from that point of view. The scenes we needed to shoot at Manchester United formed a critical part of the film,” explains Alpina.

The Goal story centres on Southall FC, a team who are in really bad shape, and who face loosing their club unless they start winning matches. “The manager brings them to the mecca of football, Manchester United, to try to inspire them to improve,” explains Alpina.

“The visit to Manchester works as there’s no better place than to get them here, to show them what it feels like to be a championship side,” she adds.

Although most of the film’s 68-day shoot was in East London, the production company says the trip north to film in Manchester has been hugely successful.

“This film does not have any of the typical stereotypical landmarks that are usually found in a Bollywood production filmed in London, so there’s no shots of Tower Bride or the London Eye. We wanted to continue that new way of thinking by coming to Manchester.

“It’s all about the newness of coming to an area that, for us at least, has not been seen on screen before,” explains Alpina. “I am really impressed with everything I’ve seen in the Northwest. And the people here have been extremely helpful and kind.”

The London-based Location Manager for Goal, Andy Williamson, says working in the Northwest has also been a welcome change. “It’s been so refreshing to come up to Manchester, where people seem to really welcome production units. If I could find that kind of attitude in London I’d be a happy man!” says Andy.

“Local knowledge is also vital when you’re filming in an area you’re unfamiliar with. So as a Location Manager I found it enormously helpful to be able to rely on the Manchester Film Office of North West Vision.

“We have been planning the Manchester visit for nine months and throughout it all I just had to ask NWV for permits or guidance or contact numbers, and they got straight on with it.

“The experience has certainly made me want to return to the Northwest in the future,” adds Andy.