Corniche grinds to a halt as filming for Bollywood film Bang Bang takes place

Filming for Bollywood movie Bang Bang takes place along the Breakwater in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Courtesy of Christine Iyer

ABU DHABI // A chase sequence in the Bollywood action drama Bang Bang was filmed on the Corniche yesterday.

The film’s cast, including the actors Katrina Kaif, Hrithik Roshan and Jimmy Shergill, arrived in Abu Dhabi on May 2 for a three-week shooting schedule.

Yesterday, a section of the Corniche Road and one side of the street leading up to Marina Mall and the Breakwater were closed off for a “high-speed chase”.

Film crew with a camera and boom on the back of a pickup truck followed a blue Formula One car.

The man behind the wheel looked a lot like Bollywood A-lister Roshan, but it turned out to be a stunt double, who sped up and down the closed-off road several times, swerving and burning rubber.

Other cars drove by at a sedate 20kph, reversing again and again between takes.

Ambulances and police cars were stationed at one end of the road, while service vehicles for the cast and crew – vans, trailers, costume truck and catering – filled an entire car park opposite the mall.

One of the several crew members who were stationed at each end of the stretch, said yesterday that Kaif had not been on the set but hinted that Roshan might make an appearance later because “he is part of this shot”. But two hours later, there still was so sign of him.

An Indian couple with their three-year-old boy in tow were on the Corniche braving the heat and hoping to catch a glimpse of the lead stars.

“I’m here for my wife,” said the husband, who did not give his name.

“She is crazy about Hrithik. I think we are going to be here all day. What a way to spend the weekend.”

Another family, complete with caps and bottles of water, stood patiently near by, asking crew for information and snooping around the vans.

On Wednesday, Shergill was spotted on set at the Hyatt Capital Gate on 30th street, which had been transformed to look like MI6 headquarters in London.

Kaif and Roshan are reported to be staying at Emirates Palace.

Directed by Siddharth Anand, Bang Bang also stars Danny Denzongpa and Pawan Malhotra. The film is out in the UAE on October 2.