Delhi Metro, which has become the modern face of the capital, has shown Bollywood the door. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is not allowing the shooting of films on the Metro, stating that the delay due to shoots causes inconvenience to commuters. Film industry insiders have mixed responses to the move and offer alternate suggestions.
Filmmaker Rajshree Ojha, who shot Aisha extensively in Delhi, says that the capital won’t be the first city to put restriction for shooting at certain places. “In Europe, there are many places like subways etc where shooting is prohibited. Shooting at such places may certainly be a matter of concern, given the large setups and then the presence of big stars at public places,” she adds.
“But having said that, I won’t go for a blanket ban. There should be a time, may be after 11 pm, when they should allow filmmakers to shoot. Filmmakers, anyways, are nocturnal creatures and are available anytime the location is accessible to them. The shooting fee can also be increased to allow only serious contenders to approach the authorities. That way we will be able to feature Metro in our films as it has now become an important part of India’s success story,” she explains.
Filmmaker Rajkumar Gupta, whose No One Killed Jessica was also based in Delhi, says that he would often want to showcase the Metro, the new face of Delhi, in his films as the old-world charm and the architectural heritage of the city has already be much presented. But having said that, Gupta thinks that it would be unfair to say that the “new” Delhi is only about Metro. “Of course this element would be missed in the films, but there are so many other places and amazing infrastructure that presents a new image of the national capital,” he says.
Delhi-based actress Vidushi Mehra, however, is convinced with the reason behind the ban. “We must understand that the Metro has been designed with the idea of being on time and shouldn’t be confused with local trains. Constant delays for any reason defeats the very purpose for which it is being created,” she says. “Bollywood has enough revenue to create world class sets instead of real locations if they are keen on positioning the Metro in their works,” she adds.