TBM Staff - Mumbai Turkey Tourism recently hosted a familiarisation tour for the top Bollywood production houses such as Raju Hirani Films , Red Chillies , Lyca , Reliance Entertainment and CEO of Producers Guild of India amongst others. The trip spanning 2nd to 7th December witnessed the crème de la crème of Bollywood.
Turkey and Bollywood have had a long-standing strong relationship, and their collaborations have always been fruitful. Prior to the pandemic, major blockbusters such as Race 2, Dil Dhadakne Do, and Ek Tha Tiger were shot in Turkiye, showcasing the country’s picturesque beauty and enthralling magnificence. After the pandemic, once the travel restrictions were uplifted, Indian superstars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif visited Turkiye to finish filming on their upcoming movie in 2023, Tiger 3. The title track of the film was shot in the breathtaking sceneries of Istanbul and Cappadocia, with even Turkish actors being a part of the film for an action sequence.
Despite the pandemic, Indian Production Companies have consistently shown significant interest in filming movies in Turkey. This familiarisation tour allowed Production Houses to explore Turkey’s renowned and famous cities. During their five-day trip, representatives of these production houses explored Antalya and Istanbul from a film location perspective. The visitors were given a chance to interact and conduct one-on-one meetings with the local line producers to get better clarity on the filmmaking process in Turkey. A key highlight of this FAM was the discussion of these Bollywood representatives with the Turkish General Directorate of Cinema about the incentives available to the Production Companies, in case they plan to shoot their upcoming projects in Turkey.
Nitin Tej Ahuja, CEO of Producers Guild of India thanked The Ministry of Culture & Tourism in Turkey and the Embassy of Turkiye in Delhi, for conducting the familiarisation tour for Bollywood Production Houses. “We have been overwhelmed not only by the natural beauty of the country and the various cinematic options it offers but also by the warmth and hospitality of the people in Turkiye. I believe that there is immense potential to host several Indian productions over here, not only in films but also in the television and OTT/web domain,” he added.
Aashish Singh, Producer at Lyca Productions said, “I had the good fortune of working in Turkey with Yash Raj films for Ek Tha Tiger and it was an incredible experience. Turkey now also offers an excellent rebate on the movie making process and I urge the production houses to consider this and plan the shooting of their upcoming projects in Turkey.”
Considering the initiative a success, one of the representatives from The Turkey Tourism Board commented, “Turkey, together with other relevant authorities, is keen to host most of the Indian film productions. We feel that Indian movies will help Turkey’s charming and spectacular beauty reach a wider audience and boost mutual touristic flow between Turkey and India.”
