Abu Dhabi, 2 May 2018 – Top talent from three of the world’s leading film hubs have converged in Abu Dhabi for new action movie ‘Saaho’, proving that the Emirate is truly at the centre of the world’s film industry.
Pan India superstar Prabhas, Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor and Hollywood stunt legend Kenny Bates are all part of the cast and crew of ‘Saaho’, which is currently shooting at locations across Abu Dhabi.
H.E. 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.”
‘Saaho’, the seventh major Indian movie to be shot in Abu Dhabi, is a trilingual thriller written and directed by Sujeeth Reddy and produced by UV Creations, whose other hit films include ‘Mirchi’, ‘Run Raja Run’, and ‘Express Raja’.
It stars Prabhas, leading man in India’s biggest magnum opus, the ‘Baahubali’ series, for which he not only won multiple awards across the nation, but also attained pan-India stardom overnight.
He is being joined on screen by award-winning Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor, who will be bringing her expertise to the movie from hits such as ‘Aashiqui 2 ‘, ‘Ek Villain’ and ‘Haider’, for which she won critical acclaim.
And keeping a close eye on them will be award-winning stunt director Kenny Bates, who is choreographing the film’s thrilling action scenes. Among the many hits Bates has worked on are ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’, ‘Pearl Harbor’, ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’, and ‘The Fast and the Furious’.
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. A number of interns are also working on the project, part of twofour54’s aim to ensure that attracting productions to Abu Dhabi helps to develop the Emirate’s media professionals of the future.
At 50 days, and 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’.
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