Uttarakhand opens arms to cinema; Mahesh Babu's Mahesh 25 to be shot in Dehradun

Taking a cue from UP, government of neighbouring state eases filming process for Mahesh Babu starrer

Following in the footsteps of neighbouring state Uttar Pradesh, the Uttarakhand government has been taking measures to facilitate a smooth filming process in a bid to attract filmmakers to the state. Close on the heels of measures taken by the government to simplify process for makers of Shahid Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor-starrer, Batti Gul Meter Chalu, the authorities have lent a helping hand to South superstar Mahesh Babu's next. mid-day has learnt that Mahesh 25, also featuring Pooja Hegde, is being shot in Dehradun, with local authorities ensuring the filming process is a smooth sailing one for the crew.

A source says, "The local police and district administration are constantly helping the crew with necessary permissions to shoot in the area, apart from administering the traffic, often even cordoning off parts of towns for the shoots."

The crew, which commenced filming on June 18, was also in for a surprise when Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat paid them a visit on the set. "Rawat saab came by and spent time on the set, even discussing the next schedule of the movie."

Pooja Hegde reveals that the interaction took place on the first day of filming in Dehradun. "We had the honour and privilege of interacting with the honourable CM. He gave us his best wishes and offered help in any possible way." The first schedule concludes on July 6, following which, the team will head to the United States, where significant portions of the film will be shot.

It is evident that the government is taking several steps to make Uttrakhand a favourable place for filmmakers, given that, only last week, Rawat stated that Batti Gul Meter Chalu, which was primarily shot in Tehri, would be exempted from tax.

Also Read: Mahesh Babu's hush-hush Mumbai trip

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