On February 24, 2022, the world was shocked to learn that Russian President Vladimir Putin had initiated a “military intervention” in Ukraine, following months of turmoil. Reports of airstrikes and explosions throughout the nation soon followed.
Ukraine is a popular filming location due to its distinct natural beauty and culture. The picturesque landscape has not eluded the attention of Indian filmmakers. It’s no surprise that a few Indian directors have turned to Ukraine as a creative force. Here’s a list of some of those films.
RRR
During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, Russia and Ukraine reopened their doors to travellers. As a result, the RRR crew decided to shoot several key scenes in Ukraine. After careful planning, the RRR crew travelled to Ukraine to film the iconic Naatu Naatu song as well as critical combat sequences.
Winner
Apart from RRR, the 2017 Telugu film, Winner, also has some mystical sequences from Ukraine. The film, helmed by Gopichand Malineni, stars Sai Dharam Tej as well as Rakul Preet Singh, and Jagapati Babu in key roles. Three of the film’s tracks were shot in the capital city Kyiv, Lviv, and Istanbul. According to reports, it was the first Indian film to be shot in Ukraine.
99 Songs
Another film shot in Ukraine was 99 Songs, penned and financed by AR Rahman. According to the producers, a lengthy programme of 99 Songs happened in Ukraine. The movie featured Ehan Bhat, Edilsy Vargas, Aditya Seal as well as Lisa Ray, and Manisha Koirala. The plot revolves around the lives of a struggling musician who aspires to be a prominent music composer.
2.0
In Ukraine, a single titled, Roja Khadal, from Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, and Amy Jackson’s 2.0 was filmed. AR Rahman created the song, which was set at Ukraine’s Tunnel of Love. Rajinikanth and Amy were featured in the song. The crew flew to Ukraine to film some magnificent picturesque sites to reproduce them in India using visual effects.
