Director Vysakh has already completed writing the script of ‘New York’ starring mega star Mammootty in the lead role. He hopes to shoot the movie under the same title without making any major changes in the plot. However, the makers aren’t sure whether they could fly to New York to film the movie.
“Even though the story takes place in New York, there is no need to actually fly there for filming. It could be easily shot in India with the help of computer graphics. Our technology has grown to such extent,” observes Vysakh.
Meanwhile, Britain was decided as the main location of the movie Ram directed by Jeethu Joseph. Istanbul and Uzbekistan too were locations for the Mohanlal starrer. But, no one is sure about flying to the UK in the current situation. Besides, the makers are anticipating problems about securing permissions for filming as well. The director and the crew members are eagerly watching the Covid situation in the European country. This movie requires at least 40 days of filming in foreign locations.
Mammootty’s much awaited Bilal was supposed to be shot in Kolakata. Another movie that planned filming schedules outside Kerala was the Fahadh Faasil starrer directed by veteran director Sathyan Anthikad’s son Akhil. The country entered into lockdown due to Covid – 19 pandemic when the crew were all set to begin filming in Goa. This movie had very little days of shoot in Kerala. Meanwhile, Mohanlal’s Empuran whose significant portions were planned in foreign locations is supposed to begin next year. Industry experts are watching how these big budget movies would be marketed in the changed scenario.
Noted Bollywood director and screen writer Karan Johar says that one couldn’t think of filming a screenplay that was written before the Covid – 19 outbreak as it is anymore. When he adds that movies that do not show face masks, sanitizers, quarantine and deserted streets wouldn’t communicate with the new age cinema, one cannot help but wonder whether the art of writing screenplays would undergo a gigantic transformation.
