Malayalam film Ladies and Gentleman shoots in Dubai

The South Indian star Mohanlal and the director Siddique have wrapped up shooting their Malayalam rom-com in the emirate.

Only a week after Salman Khan’s Mental was filming in Dubai’s Wonderland theme park, another Indian film has come to shoot in the Emirate. Ladies and Gentleman, a Malayalam romantic comedy, wrapped up yesterday after six days of filming across Dubai, with support from the Dubai Film and TV Commission.

While most of the film was shot in Kerala, the Dubai element is – like many Indian films that shoot in the city – used as filler scenes, such as song-and-dance sequences. “It’s seen as flashback throughout the film,” says Mohanlal, the South Indian star who is the “Gentleman” in the film’s title.

Ladies and Gentleman was written and is being directed by Siddique, who was behind the huge 2010 Malayalam hit Bodyguard. Siddique subsequently remade the film in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi.

“We’ve been working together for 21 years,” says Mohanlal, adding that he has shot numerous films in the city in the three decades he has been acting. “We planned this film maybe seven, eight years back, but we couldn’t do it.”

With a crew of about 20 (far less than the 100-plus in Kerala), filming has taken place across several areas of Dubai, including Miracle Garden, Dubai Media City, Marina Walk, Dubai Creek and Jumeirah Beach Residences. There were even scenes shot in a car showroom in Al Ain.

Mohanlal says that, given Siddique’s past successes, the film is likely to return to Dubai in different guises. “He’ll also remake this film in Hindi and Tamil, so he’ll be coming back here each time.”

But first Siddique will need to quickly wrap up post-production because Ladies and Gentleman is due for release next month.

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