Mumbai: Apta Railway Station on the Panvel–Roha route continues to be the most popular film shooting location for filmmakers after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Station.
In the financial year 2019-2020, four films were shot at Apta Railway station including “Raat Akeli Hai”, “Mumbai Saga” and “Shubh Mangal Zayada Savdhan” and eight films were shot at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the most popular films were Panga, Choked and Suraj se Mangal Bhari.
Apta station is encompassed in-camera, including the most popular films like Dilwale Dulaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Rang de Basanti, Baaghi, Khaki, Shaadi No. 1, Chinatown, and many other box-offices hit films.
Shivaji Sutar, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway said “Apta is known for his scenic location with one side hill, the other side the road nearby a river and easy road accessibility, located on the Panvel –Roha route with curvy track and platforms, ample space for keeping types of equipment, and to park Vanity Vans of Actors. Such a station with fewer crowds is a perfect location for film shooting.”
Apta Railway station has been given a halt for few trains and it is crossing station as such it also has an additional track which makes doubly sweet for movement of special trains booked for film shooting. Apta is just a 2 hours journey, about 75 km from the Film City, Mumbai. Thereby, Apta Railway Station has become the most preferred location for film shooting of web series, documentaries, and TV serials.”
Central Railway earned Rs. 1.33 cores in 21 film shootings in 2019-20, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Station with 8 film shootings including film ‘Panga’ earned Rs 44.52 lakhs, Apta with Rs 22.61 lakh in four film shootings. The highest amount of Rs 22.10 lakhs was earned from Rajnikant starrer ‘Darbaar’ shot at Panvel Station. The scenic location Wathar over Pune Division earned
Rs 37.22 lakhs from three films including Salman starrer ‘Dabangg 3’ giving earning of Rs 15.70 lakhs, a shot of film ‘Lal Singh Chaddha’ between Pune to Mumbai and other film shooting locations like Turbhe and Wadi bunder Yard, Pune station were also generated good income.
Though the movement is restricted to contain the spread of COVID19, Central Railway is hopeful that the beauty of Apta and other such locations will be unearthed again in the near future. Let us fight together COVID19.
