Film studios in revival mode

Studios in Hyderabad are brimming with full occupancy, thanks to an increase in the number of films and TV serials being shot at the venues

Film studios in Hyderabad are back in vogue. Three of the top studios in the State, Ramoji Film City, Annapurna Studios and Ramanaidu Studios are brimming with full occupancy and what’s even more interesting is that even Saradhi Studios and Padmalaya Studios, which had gone off the radar, are now bustling with activity.

One of the main reasons behind this change is the advent of the TV industry which is churning out a lot more content these days. With more than two dozen TV channels in the State, the demand for floor space to shoot serials and reality shows has grown. “The demand for floor space is so high these days that we are facing a severe shortage. Most of the TV serials are shot inside the studios and they book the floors on a long term basis. This has led to a shortage of floor space for films,” producer Shobu Yarlagadda informs.

In the recent months, almost every major studio in the State has added new floors to meet this increasing demand.

Earlier this year, Annapurna Studios unveiled their new `100 crore state-of-the-art facility including five new floors, luxurious make-up rooms, dance rehearsal facility, canteen and 100 per cent diesel generator power availability.

“The quality of floors, especially in terms of acoustics and lighting, has improved a lot. The new floors equipped with air-conditioning are expensive, but then production budgets have also gone up. So, a lot more producers are able to afford them,” Shobu says.

Another major factor which has increased film industry’s dependence on studios is the controlled environment which enable filmmakers to shoot without any disturbance.

In recent years, every time top actors like Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan Tej and Jr NTR have shot in outdoor locations, hundreds of people landed up near the shooting spot to catch a glimpse of their favourite actors.

Controlling the crowds and maintaining secrecy over the actors’ look and story has become a major issue for any big budget film. A case in point being Puri Jagannadh’s Cameraman Ganga Tho Ramababu starring Pawan Kalyan and Tamannaah which was recently shot in Saradhi Studios.

“The political environment in the State is another major issue. In the past several film shootings were stalled when they were shot in outdoor locations. Shooting films within the precincts of a studio gives directors much more control on what they do. More than anything, the productivity increases a lot as much more work gets done,”

Shobu says.

Tags: Annapurna Studio, featured, full-image, Padmalaya Studios, Ramanaidu Studios, Ramoji Fim City, Saradhi Studios

Category: City, City News