Chandni Chowk emerges most popular shooting spot out of 500 Delhi locations

NEW DELHI: The capital is emerging as one of the hottest destinations in the country for shooting films, web series, TV serials, commercials and documentaries.

One year since its ambitious film policy was launched, the Delhi government has received 59 applications from production houses to shoot in the city.
With its old-world charm, popular eating joints and Red Fort and Jama Masjid in close vicinity, Chandni Chowk has emerged the most-preferred location with many applicants seeking permission to shoot there.

India Gate, CP, INA Dilli Haat, Kartavya Path, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi Metro and Lutyens' Delhi are some other locations popular with the filmmakers.
While the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, the nodal agency, has listed nearly 500 locations, sources said for 59 projects, the filmmakers have sought permission for 66 locations and got the nod to shoot at 32.
Online clearance for shooting in 15 days
Actors Akshay Kumar and Ananya Panda recently shot for a movie in Chandni Chowk. Some other films and web-series that were shot in Delhi in the last few months included Shehzada, Pataal Lok and 12th Fail.
With the Delhi Film Policy 2022, Delhi government launched an e-Film Clearance portal for providing a single-window facility that helps filmmakers get permission to shoot from 20-odd agencies including local police, traffic police, civic agencies, Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Metro, Delhi International Airport Limited, National Highway Authority of India and forest department among others. Officials said the online permission is accorded within 15 days.
Though the DTTDC used to get a number of queries earlier from both Indian and international production houses but not more than 30 - fully or partially - would actually be shot in Delhi in a year.
"We hope with the new film policy, which also offers a lot of incentives to filmmakers, Delhi will become the most preferred destination in the next few years," said an official.
Though there are concerns that shooting in Delhi is an expensive affair and only big banners can afford to shoot here, officials said every agency charges a fee, some on hourly basis, to shoot at particular locations.
"The tourism department is only a facilitator and has no role in deciding the fee," said an official.
Interestingly, under the new policy, filmmakers shooting in Delhi and hiring local talent will get a subsidy in the expenses incurred in making the film. The subsidy amount will be calculated on the basis of points system allocated for choosing a film location, branding of the location in Delhi, involvement of local artists in the film crew and support staff and expenses during pre-production, production and post-production of the film in the city.
But the filmmakers can claim the incentive only after the release of the production, said an official.