Porto will appear in the huge screens of Indian cinema thanks to Bollywood

It’s the scene number 55, the sixth, seventh, eighth take or as many as the director chooses until he is satisfied. A few minutes for a hair and makeup touch-up, or to adjust the shirt. And rolling again. Bollywood is in Porto for the filming of the movie “Jailed”, its outdoors scenes taking to India – and to many other consumer markets of the cinema industry that produces the most movies in the world – some of the most emblematic location in Porto. With the logistic support of Filmaporto – film commission, the shooting will represent an estimated investment of about 200 thousand euros.

There is a fight happening in the middle of Rua 31 de Janeiro, and traffic is cut off. Dozens operate cameras, hold panels, pass cables around and give instructions. There is a White Rolls Royce somewhere in the middle. The apparatus causes a stir with those who are going up and down the street and everyone has questions to ask: “What is happening? We are shooting a movie. Those indian ones? Yes, those. Ah, good luck, and good work”.

When Vishnu Vardhan, director, winner of the IIFA awards 2022 (International Indian Film Academy) and the Filmfare with “Shershaah” gives order to start shooting, the most difficult task seems to be keeping the curious and the more distracted to walk in on set and be caught on camera.

If, for some, the faces are unknown, for others, these scenes might remind them of the endless lines outside the Cinema Águia D’Ouro to watch, in the 70s, to the Indian sensation “Procession of Memories”.

Starred by Akash Murali and Aditi Shankar, but with many Portuguese actors, “Jailed” is the story of a young woman who moves to Portugal to study in the University of Coimbra, but is unjustly arrested, and of her boyfriend, who travels from India to prove the innocence of the student.

Other than the Rua 31 de Janeiro, the action will go through Avenida dos Aliados, the Rua dos Clérigos and Rua das Flores and, for night scenes, through one of the “treasures of European cinema”, the Ribeira, recognised already by the European Cinema Academy.

The Bollywood production is made by the Indian XB Film Creaters and All Around the Globe, which is based in our country. “Jailed” will be released in the Asian market before the end of the year.

Since 2021, time it was created, the Flimaporto – film commission has watched the registration of about 550 cinema production, which generated an economic impact of about five million euros in the city.