Ease of filming in Abu Dhabi attracting big studios of India: AlMheiri

Abu Dhabi is fast becoming a prime destination for shooting Bollywood movies as the support given is not a "one-size-fits-all" one but tailored according to the needs of every production, says CEO of the UAE capital's Media Zone Authority Maryam Eid AlMheiri.

Indian movies like "Race 3", "Tiger Zinda Hai", "Saaho" and "Duvvada Jagannadham (DJ)" besides Hollywood's "War Machine" and "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" have been shot in Abu Dhabi of late.

AlMheiri, who also heads twofour54, which is home to the city's media and entertainment industry, says the ease of filming in Abu Dhabi also attracts the big studios of India.

"And of course, the 30 per cent rebate on production and post-production spend in the Emirates is a huge incentive for Indian filmmakers. Among those that have taken advantage of it are five Bollywood hits - 'Baby' (2014), 'Bang Bang' (2014), 'Dishoom' (2016), 'Tiger Zinda Hai' (2017) and 'Race 3' (2018) - which together spent USD 31 million on production and post-production in Abu Dhabi," AlMheiri told PTI.

Access to government entities is also offered to facilitate filming.

"The support offered by the UAE Armed Forces is unparalleled, and benefited numerous productions, such as 'Tiger Zinda Hai', 'Race 3', 'War Machine', and 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout'. Not only do the Armed Forces supply hardware, such as Blackhawk helicopters, Oshkosh trucks, NIMR military vehicles, and Humvees, but also the expertise for productions to get the most out of them," she says.

twofour54 also has a dedicated government and travel services department that takes the headache out of the logistics of shooting, such as arranging road closures, and getting visas and filming permits, she says.

"But it is not just about facilities. Production companies benefit from having access to talented local crews, including our pool of 580-plus freelancers, who have experience of working on productions of all sizes and genres."
On the support extended according to the needs of every production, AlMheiri says, "The recent HALO skydive by Tom Cruise for 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout' was a very specific requirement. There aren't many places in the world where a C17 military aircraft is available to a producer for three weeks, but we managed to cater for it."