The Indian film RRR, which was filmed near the Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv, won the Golden Globe. Find out in more detail why part of the film was shot in Ukraine and how the shooting took place

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The Indian blockbuster "RRR" won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Part of the film was shot in Ukraine - near the Mariinsky Palace and Mezhyhirya. In particular, the key dance scene to the song "Naatu Naatu" was filmed in Kyiv.

Filming took place in Ukraine in 2021, where they were organized by a Ukrainian film company. Dancer and choreographer Olena Shoptenko became the choreographer-director of parts of the scene. Also, more than 200 Ukrainian actors and dancers took part in the filming.

The film "RRR" is a historical drama, the events take place in the 1920s, when India was a colony of Great Britain. The main characters of the tape are revolutionaries opposing the British authorities and the local ruler. The film became the most expensive in Indian film production history, one of the most commercially successful Indian films and a global Netflix hit.

Why was part of the film filmed in Ukraine?

Filming of the Indian film began back in 2018, but was later interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. When the shooting process was resumed, it was necessary to finish the scenes with the participation of not only Indian, but also British actors. But due to the spread of the new strain of coronavirus, the British actors could not get to India, and the Indian film crew could not go to the EU. Therefore, they chose between several third countries, and finally settled on Ukraine.

How was the shooting of the Indian film RRR in Ukraine?

Anna Palenchuk, the producer who organized filming in Ukraine, said that at first there were no plans to shoot near the Mariinsky Palace. The idea was put forward by the director of the film, SS Rajamouli, when he saw the palace and said that it was exactly the building he envisioned for the scene.

The Mariinsky Palace is the official residence of the Ukrainian president, so special permission had to be obtained in order to film there. It was possible to organize a long filming process in Mariyinka thanks to direct cooperation with the Office of the President.

In general, the shooting process near the Mariinsky Palace lasted about two weeks. Some scenes of the film were also shot in Mezhyhirya and one of the film studios near Kyiv. And the Mariinsky Palace even made it onto one of the film's posters.

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