Mumbai: CSMT, Jogeshwari, Goregaon are city’s superstar stations

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Central Railway (CR), Goregaon and a number of stations on the Mumbai suburban line, remain the most preferred locations for film shoots on railway premises in the city. CR officials said that CSMT is the preferred shooting location for filmmakers as five movies were shot at this UNESCO World Heritage railway station, including an ad film for the Sunfeast Mom's Magic biscuits.

Various film crews at the UNESCO World Heritage railway station

Other popular film shoot locations outside the city but on CR include Apta station near Panvel and Wathar station on the Pune-Kolhapur route. Other spots that filmmakers are partial to are Mumbaikars' summer reprieve Matheran, the Central Railway Sports Academy complex at Parel, Dadar, Karjat and the old Wadi Bunder yard. Some of the emerging locations that are getting the limelight are the Yeola and Kanhegaon stations between Manmad and Ahmednagar and Narayan Doho on the new section between Ahmednagar and Ashti.

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"Thanks to our popular locations like CSMT, the old Wadi Bunder yard, Wathar (near Satara) and Apta station and initiatives to grant permission without any hassles to production houses, Central Railway has earned record revenue from film shoots. Many box office hits were shot along CR over the years such as Slumdog Millionaire, Kaminey, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Ra.One, Raavan, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dabangg, Darbar, Rang De Basanti, Baaghi, and Khaki," a CR spokesperson said.

On the Western Railway in Mumbai, the most prominent locations include the Churchgate, Mumbai Central, Goregaon and Kelve Road stations as well as the Lower Parel workshop, Jogeshwari auction terminus (yard) and Virar car shed. "Goregaon and Jogeshwari are popular probably because most of the film stars live in the Andheri-Lokhandwala area, making it an easily accessible shooting spot," an official said.