Sartaj Singh
Helmed by star director Prashanth Neel, ‘Salaar’ centers on the wealthy city of Khansar, created and ruled by a long line of warlords and gangsters. As he leaves the dreaded region, a young boy Deva, makes an oath to his best friend, Vardharaja, that he would return to help him if he ever needed it. Many years pass, and Vardharaja’s father is about to pass the crown to him when his advisors and enemies rebel against him, bringing in foreign mercenary armies to take control. With the odds stacked heavily against him, Vardharaja calls upon the only help he needs, of the relentless Deva. The grand empire of Khansar has a unique blend of warlike culture and grand architecture with modern weaponry and technology. You might ask yourself if such a place exists and where the action thriller movie was filmed.
Salaar Filming Locations
‘Salaar’ or ‘Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire,’ was filmed largely in Hyderabad with some scenes being shot in other Indian states of Telangana, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Italy is yet another filming site that features in some scenes. Khansar is a fictional city, which was created using practical sets and visual effects. The movie initially started its filming schedule on January 27, 2021, but was halted in March 2022 due to actor Prabhas’ release of ‘Radhe Shyam.’ Filming resumed in May 2022, being further delayed by Prabhas suffering a knee injury during a vacation in Spain. The movie’s initial release date was set for September 28, 2023, but had to be delayed due to reshoots. After watching the final cut, Prashant Neel decided to add a “big war sequence,” shooting it in late October with 750 vehicles including tanks, jeeps, and trucks. Filming was ultimately wrapped up in December of 2023 after 114 total days of cameras rolling.
Hyderabad, India
A majority of shooting for ‘Salaar’ was carried out in the state capital of Telangana, within the Ramoji Film City in Abdullahpurmet. The studio contains various backlots of gardens, forests, apartment blocks, hotels, airports, railway stations, and mansions. For creating sets, it has 47 sound stages of varying size, and facilities needed by film crews to work on location.
Most of the film’s sets and action setpieces were created using soundstages in the studio and filming took place here on and off throughout its duration. Director Prashanth Neel wanted to create a dystopian cityscape to portray Khansar — a place that, despite its wealth and prosperity, emanated martial violence and power. For the job, he brought in Shivakumar as the production designer, who had also worked with him on the ‘KGF’ series. Some prominent examples of big-budget films shot at the venue include the ‘Baahubali’ series, ‘Chennai Express,’ ‘KGF: Chapter 2,’ ‘Pushpa: The Rise,’ and ‘RRR.’
Godavarikhani, India
Also known as the Coal City, Godavarikhani became the first filming destination for ‘Salaar’ with its dark and gritty backdrop. Situated on the banks of the Godavari River, the City of Black Gold is known for its coal belt and rich deposits spanning multiple mining areas. The Telangana town in Peddapalli district houses the NTPC coal power plant supplying energy to five south Indian states. The cast and crew arrived at the Singareni coal mines on January 28, 2021, and were received by the Ramagundam Police Commissioner. Filming was underway from the next day and lasted for nine days at the opencast-II mine in the Ramagundam-III area.
Other Locations in India
The Mangalore Port in southwest Karnataka was used to lens a few scenes of the Prabhas starrer. It contains the deepest inner harbor on the west coast of India, giving access to the Arabian Sea, and is the only major port in Karnataka, chiefly importing crude oil, LPG, fertilizers, and other chemicals. Furthermore, the Visakhapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh became the venue for filming some portions of ‘Salaar.’ Also known as the Vizag port, it opens into the Bay of Bengal on the eastern coast of India. It is the third largest state-owned port in the country and the only major one in the state.
Matera, Italy
Known for its cave inhabitation, the cliffside city of Matera in southern Italy became a part of the international filming schedule of ‘Salaar’ in April 2023. The town is built on ascending cliff terrain and offers a jaw-droppingly picturesque landscape with houses dug into the calcarenite rock, winding cobblestone streets, and a world heritage site in Sassi. Interestingly, the complex of cave dwellings in the Sassi area was also used as a backdrop in James Bond’s ‘No Time to Die.’
Other Locations in Italy
The team was further reported as having filmed in the capital city of Rome, and in Naples, at the Piazza del Plebiscito square. The square is a large central plaza with some of the most iconic buildings of Italy’s third-largest city, including the Royal Palace, the Prefecture and the Salerno Palaces, and the San Francesco di Paola Basilica with a semi-elliptical portico reminiscent of Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica.
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest’s stunning blend of Roman, Gothic, and Ottoman architecture became a backdrop for a few scenes of ‘Salaar,’ including a montage sequence. Sprawled around the Danube River, the historical city can also be seen in Bollywood movies like ‘Dunki,’ ‘Dangal,’ ‘When Harry Met Sejal,’ and ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.’
Read More: Best Telugu Movies on Netflix
