The nearly seven million passengers who use the suburban railway aren’t the only ones contributing to its coffers. The railways have earned a little over ₹1.10 crore from renting out its platforms and other sites to filmmakers in 2016-17, of which ₹23 lakh came from the makers of Sunny Deol starrer Bhaiyaji Superhit , who shot several scenes at the Lower Parel carshed. Officials said the earnings are nearly 10 times more than the previous financial year, which stood at ₹14,98,209.
In 2016-17, films shot on the WR include Noor , Bhavesh Joshi , Kaabil , Half Girlfriend , Bhaiyaji Superhit , Love Express , Hadsa , Munna Michael . Kaabil was shot on Dadar railway station’s platforms no. 5 and 6.
Railway officials said filmmakers come up with scripts which have local train, railway premises and other scenes which they get on our premises, be it a carshed, workshop or a railway office. “Western Railway has excellent scenic and heritage locales including workshops and carsheds to impart a touch of reality and originality. A single-window system in the PR department has been a recent initiative to streamline procedures and processes to make film shooting on WR hassle-free, making WR among the most favoured for shooting,” Ravindra Bhakar, Chief PRO, WR, said.
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Th revenue from film shooting includes advertising films as well. “People in metros connect well with railway scenes, and many ad films are shot at railway stations. The visibility of local trains has increased in Hindi cinema,” an official said. Usually, filmmakers pay nearly ₹1.10 lakh without any rolling stock, which can go up to ₹4.12 lakh for a day.
Approvals are granted within three to five days after checking feasibility of locations, and the rules stipulate that passengers should not be disturbed. “Other departments and divisions also assist the PR department with prompt feasibility clearances for shoots with special rolling stock,” Mr. Bhakar said.
However, approvals are not always given. Director Ram Gopal Verma was denied permission to shoot at CST railway station for his film on the 26/11 terror attack. Mr. Verma wanted to recreate the scene at its original location but Central Railway authorities refused to allow it. “Being a sensitive issue and trouble to passengers at CST station, we didn’t allow the shooting,” a senior CR official said.
