Top talents from three of the world’s leading film hubs have converged in Abu Dhabi for the upcoming Telugu/Tamil/Hindi trilingual film Saaho.
The film stars Prabhas, Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor and Hollywood stunt legend Kenny Bates. Saaho team is currently shooting at locations across Abu Dhabi.
HE Maryam Eid AlMheiri, CEO of Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi and twofour54, said: "We are no strangers to international productions in Abu Dhabi, however, Saaho is a milestone for us as it illustrates the incredible reputation our Emirate now has on a global scale.
The UAE sits at the crossroads of the world, geographically and culturally, with two-thirds of the global population within eight hours’ flying time – meaning we are literally at the centre of the global movie industry.
Add in financial incentives of filming here such as the 30% rebate on production spend, world-class infrastructure, diverse locations, government support, and incredible talent pool, and it is easy to see why three major international productions have filmed here this year already – and it’s only April."
Prabhas said: "We are all excited to be shooting in Abu Dhabi – friends in the industry have told me that it’s an incredible filming destination boasting awe-inspiring landscapes, and it is certainly living up to that reputation. I’ve been impressed at the level of support we’ve received from twofour54, the local crews, the fans, and the government, who are all going out of their way to make things as smooth as possible."
twofour54 is providing full production services as well as the support of its Government and Travel Services department and the film will benefit from Abu Dhabi Film Commissions 30% rebate. With 50 days of shooting with more than 250 crew members, Saaho will be the second longest Indian movie to be produced in Abu Dhabi after ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ last year. It will also be one of the most dynamic - the large-scale action scenes are expected to take about 20 days to shoot.
It is the latest international film production to be shot in the Emirate. Among the major studios and production companies that have embraced Abu Dhabi as a location in recent years are Universal Pictures with ‘Furious 7’, Disney with ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, Yash Raj Films with ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, and Paramount Pictures with ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’.
Other Indian hits that have been shot in Abu Dhabi include Bollywood blockbusters ‘Dishoom’, ‘Baby’, and ‘Bang Bang’ and the upcoming 'Race 3'.