It has been the aim of the United Arab Emirates to establish themselves as a hub for filmmakers and as such it has become a highly attractive destination for filmmakers from the East and the West. Not only are locations such as Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi ideal for film shooting because of their stunning architecture, lively nightlife and shopping options, being showcased in Hollywood as well as Bollywood films helps the world know more about this unique travel destination. Here are some popular films shot in the UAE:
The Tom Cruise starrer was shot in Dubai extensively, and features some of the city’s most spectacular locations. The Burj Khalifa is prominently featured; the scene featuring the lead actor atop the skyscraper is considered iconic.
Now one may like the Salman Khan starrer Tiger films or one may dismiss them as wannabe spy thrillers that don’t really live up to their name. However, the fact is that the Tiger films were shot extensively at overseas locations including the UAE. For the sequel, Tiger Zinda Hai, a studio was set up in Abu Dhabi for the filming schedule of 65 days and 300+ people, making it one of Abu Dhabi’s longest feature film projects.
When the original location in Tunisia was deemed unsafe, the shooting of the space film was shifted to Abu Dhabi. The landscape of the Tatooine desert planet was recreated against the backdrop of the sand dunes near the city.
The Hrithik Roshan & Katrina Kaif starrer was also shot partly in Abu Dhabi. This 2014 film featured locations such as the Liwa oasis, the Corniche, Qasr al Sarab, Emirates Palace and Yas Island.
The Michael Douglas starrer sequel was largely shot in New York but some of the more luxurious scenes of the film were shot in Dubai. The movie was supposed to be all about underhand dealings by men looking to lead the high life and sophisticated locations in Dubai, fit the bill.
The hugely successful Shah Rukh Khan starrer was written by Farah Khan with Dubai in mind; especially the climax of the scene which featured 'The Palm'. The film also cast about 1,600 local extras from across the UAE in one of the biggest such projects.
Though the Abu Dhabi portion of the film took only about six days to shoot, the film was a showcase for the capital of the Emirate. One incredible scene features Vin Diesel driving off the 45th floor of the Etihad Tower and into the neighbouring tower.
The fast paced thriller was set largely in Durban and Dubai. Apart from this film, several other Bollywood films such as the hit films Baby and Airlift (both Akshay Kumar starrers) were also shot in UAE. Indian filmmakers like shooting there because permissions are often easier to obtain than in India; because of the support from local authorities and the availability of luxurious, exotic locations and stunning city-scapes.
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