50 Bollywood, Hollywood and Arab films that were shot in the UAE

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Happy New Year (2013): Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone were camped in Dubai’s posh hotel Atlantis The Palm for more than a month to film their dazzling dance spectacle and diamond heist thriller ‘Happy New Year’. Directed and written by Farah Khan, she claimed that she wrote the story keeping in mind the city of Dubai and it plays an integral part of the comedy. Actors Boman Irani and Abhishek Bachchan were also a part of the star-studded ensemble. The premiere was staged in Dubai too. Image Credit:

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Kung Fu Yoga (2015): This Chinese-Indian production, starring Jackie Chan, Sonu Sood, and Disha Patani, was shot extensively in Dubai in areas including Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Business Bay. During that time, the long-enduring movie idol was spotted executing adrenaline-charged car chase sequences in Business Bay. Image Credit:

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Dishoom (2016): Bollywood actors John Abraham and Varun Dhawan shot some of their most explosive and expensive action sequences of their action-adventure ‘Dishoom’ in Abu Dhabi. Directed by Varun Dhawan’s brother Rohit, these two supremely fit stars spent over 45-days filming across 30 locations. “Some of the sequences were seriously scary … I wondered how can you have a normal expression on your face when you are hanging upside down a helicopter with blood rushing to your face,” said Dhawan in an interview with Gulf News back in 2016. The two played a bunch of cops trying to track down a missing guy in an undisclosed Arab country. The scenes filmed in Abu Dhabi formed the spine of the action drama. Image Credit: Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News

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City Of Life (2009): Billed as one of Dubai's first home-grown feature films, its British Emirati director Ali F Mustafa tried to capture on celluloid the true spirit of Dubai with a multi-ethnic ensemble cast. The movie was shot across 40 locations. "I was tired of people comparing Dubai to a Disneyland. Most of them take one look at the glitzy buildings and assume it's an artificial place. My film has none of that. It has real people with real problems. Like any other city in the world, my film shows both the positives and the negatives," said Mustafa. The film marked the debut of Emirati TV presenter Saud Al Ka'abi and featured British actors Jason Flemyng and Natalie Dormer, along with Bollywood stars Sonu Sood and Javed Jafferi. "I had this intense need to showcase the UAE on a global level. It was almost like my duty to do it. And one of Dubai's biggest strength is its mix of people from different cultures and continents. Everybody living in the UAE will be able to identify with the film," he added. Image Credit: Gulf News archive

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Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011): Hollywood actor Tom Cruise scaled Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and lived to tell that splendid tale. Reports claim that particular sequence shot in the world’s largest building where he scrambles up the 830 meter building took around five months to plan and called for massive logistical support. A special permission was sought to put a chopper in the air above it as it’s a no-fly zone. The scene where he scales the shiny building became one of the most shining highlights of the film. Image Credit: Supplied

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Airlift (2015): Starring Akshay Kumar, this film was an ambitious tale about a massive civilian evacuation of Indian expatriates that took place during the 1990 Gulf War when Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait. Partly shot in Ras Al Khaimah, the emirate was dressed up to look like Kuwait in the 90s. A 180-plus crew from India spent several weeks in Ras Al Khaimah to film a string of pivotal scenes. Kumar played a Kuwait-based tycoon Ranjit Katyal, who turns into a saviour for those thousands of displaced Indians and spearheads a massive Indian civilian evacuation drive. Actress Nimrat Kaur, who plays Kumar’s wife, even celebrated her birthday on the sets of ‘Airlift’ in Ras Al Khaimah. Image Credit: Cape of Good Films

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The Kingdom (2006): The movie is set in Saudi Arabia, but the production took place in Abu Dhabi. If you look closely, you will see familiar desert landscapes and the palatial Emirates Palace in the capital playing crucial roles in the film, starring Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner and Chris Cooper. Image Credit: IMDB

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Welcome Back (2014): Director Anees Bazmee went deep into the UAE desert to film his climax of his Dubai-set comedy starring John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Nana Patekar and Naseeruddin Shah. He also filmed several portions in plush hotels around Dubai, but the climax scene filled with helicopters, Hummers and dangerous-looking villains was the highlight of this film. “It’s not an easy action scene but honestly we are enjoying the process a lot. Mark my words: when people see it, they will love this sequence,” said Abraham in an interview with Gulf News in between shots back in 2014. Image Credit: Atiq-Ur-Rehman/Gulf News

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Race 3 (2018): Race 3: Abu Dhabi was showcased in all its splendor in this star-led Bollywood film ‘Race 3’, featuring Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, and Bobby Deol. While the critics ripped this film apart, there was no ignoring the gorgeous locales of Abu Dhabi. The crew was here for more than a month and shot in Abu Dhabi’s iconic landmarks including Emirates Palace, St Regis Abu Dhabi, and the Liwa Desert. Image Credit: TwoFour54

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Laxmii (2020): When Dubai’s iconic landmark is in the title of a song, it’s only natural that its makers choose the UAE to bring alive the dazzling song. Akshay Kumar’s song ‘Burj Khalifa’ was filmed from start to finish in the UAE. When Gulf News visited the sets, we found Kumar and Advani up since 6am to capture a song-dance sequence with a gleaming golden Burj Khalifa cut-out erected in the sand. We also spotted a dozen or more background dancers in equally sparkling outfits shimmying to the beats of a song. Image Credit:

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Bang Bang (2014): Abu Dhabi’s Corniche was transformed into a hot spot for a high-chase car sequence in this glossy action drama starring Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. Directed by Siddharth Anand, ‘Bang Bang’ crew were in the UAE for a three-week shooting schedule and filmed in locations including Yas Island, the Emirates Palace, Marina Mall, Hyatt Capital Gate and the Liwa Oasis. The Hyatt Capital Gate was dressed up to look like MI6 headquarters in London. Image Credit: Courtesy Fox Star Studios and UTV Motion Pictures

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Casanova (2010): Malayalam superstar Mohanlal switched gears for this film and secured a UAE driving license to execute a car chase sequences set in Dubai. Mohanalal, who is a regular visitor to Dubai, spent more than 50 days filming this ambitious project. At that point, it was billed as Malayalam cinema's slickest and most stylised production with a budget exceeding Rs150 million (Dh12.32 million). Mohalal played a wealthy Casanova who lands in Dubai to get even with his enemies. The scenes set in Dubai showcased Mohanlal living it up in the lap of luxury. Image Credit: OLIVER CLARKE/ GULF NEWS

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Sarkar 3 (2017): Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff and filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma were spotted at a local jewelry store in Dubai Gold Souq in Deira filming a pivotal scene from this film. Shroff, who played the villain Michael, filmed a scene where he was spotted buying a gold ring for his on-screen girlfriend Image Credit: Supplied photo

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Thedal (2020): Malayalam actress and singer Mamta Mohandas spent a few days in the UAE to shoot a romantic song entitled ‘Thedal’. The ‘Forensic’ star shot in locations including The Paramount Tower & Hotel Residences, Palazzo Versace at Al Jaddaf, Barsha and areas near Zabeel Park, with the help of local production company 7 Media. Since the song was being shot during a pandemic, the crew and the cast were extra cautious about safety protocols while filming. Image Credit: 7 Media

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2014): Need proof that the force is strong in Abu Dhabi? Celebrated director JJ Abrams of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ chose the UAE capital’s Western Region of Al Dhafra and the rolling dunes to re-create Jakku. The world’s largest uninterrupted sand mass, the Rub Al Khali, also known as the Empty Quarter and Al Wathba Fossil Dunes’ landscape also featured prominently in the film. If you are in the mood to witness a diverse desert landscape, then this film is right up your street. Image Credit: AP

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Humari Adhuri Kahani (2014): This Bollywood romance was shot extensively in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In an earlier interview with Gulf News, its director Mohit Suri claimed that the UAE had the ‘perfect kind of romanticism that was essential to his plot’. “There’s the perfect mix of Western-style development infused with a lot of Indian-ness, which is where the two central characters meet. Most people come to the UAE to shoot amazing buildings and show a futuristic modern city, but I wanted to capture the romance of the sand dunes, for instance, and the beauty of the desert rose,” said Suri. The cast were in the UAE for several weeks to film around Dubai’s Shaikh Zayed Road, the Dubai International Airport, Bur Dubai and the Dubai Creek. They returned again for a second schedule to shoot at Dubai Miracle Garden and at the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort in Abu Dhabi. Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

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6 Underground (2019): Starring Ryan Reynolds, this explosive film remains one of the major motion pictures to film in Abu Dhabi. At least 24 locations including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Aldar’s headquarters, Shaikh Zayed Bridge, Grand Mosque, Etihad Towers, Arkan – Al Ain Cement Factory, twofour54’s backlot and the Liwa desert formed the backdrop for Michael Bay-directed project. In the film, Abu Dhabi doubles for cities and countries across different continents — including Las Vegas, California, Hong Kong, California, Nigeria and the fictional Turgistan. According to production hub twofour54, Bay was the first director to shoot a feature film inside the Louvre Abu Dhabi. And, during the filming Reynolds was accompanied by his wife Blake Lively and their two children Inez and James. ‘6 Underground’ is one of more than 85 major productions to film in Abu Dhabi and marks the second Netflix production to film in Abu Dhabi, with the first being Brad Pitt’s ‘War Machine’ in 2015. According to reports, the explosive film cost the streaming giant about $150 million (Dh550.8 million) to make, according to reports, once considered to be Netflix’s most costly project ever. Image Credit:

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Syriana (2004): Film folklore has it that Matt Damon and George Clooney’s star-studded Hollywood geopolitical thriller ‘Syriana’ was the first major Hollywood film to use Dubai as a filming location. The desert scenes of this film revolving around the oil industry in the Middle East was filmed in our Dubai deserts. Clooney earned his first Oscar win for his supporting role in this movie. Image Credit: IMDB

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Bharat (2018): Salman Khan and director Ali Abbas Zafar chose to film extensively in Abu Dhabi for this project. It was shot across four locations and more than 200 international crew members and 1,400 extras were utilised for this shoot. In a statement twofour54 said director Zafar’s production unit spent 15 days shooting at the Liwa desert, along with filming in Al Wathba and Al Ain, the latter of which featured a state-of-the-art set that replicated a 1970s oilfield. Key scenes were also shot at twofour54’s backlot at Kizad, where an Arabian marketplace was created for the film. Image Credit: Supplied

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Fast & Furious 7 (2014): The film may about impossible car chases, but there’s something spectacularly regal in the scene where Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez walk down the palatial steps at Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. It’s also heartening to drink in the sky scraper-laden Abu Dhabi landscape. But their filming here was bitter-sweet. During their filming schedule in 2014, Universal posted a message on their Facebook page about how late actor Paul Walker’s brothers, Caleb and Cody Walker, had stepped in to finish the late actor’s scenes. Walker, who had completely a large part of his role in the film, died tragically in a high-speed car crash in California. The producers put off filming for a long but they had to eventually resume filming in Abu Dhabi. During the filming, Tyrese gave a big shout out to his late co-star Walker, claiming that he was feeling his presence in Abu Dhabi. “I come here feel the energy of the ocean and all I think of is my brother ... Were gonna make you proud P-Dubber!!! #Fast7 #Dubai #AbuDhabiLifestyle,” posted Tyrese wearing a jersey sporting Walker’s name. And, going by the robust reaction for the film, Abu Dhabi played a starring role in this blockbuster. Image Credit: Supplied

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Star Trek Beyond (2016): When you have a futuristic film in hand, it’s only natural that you choose Dubai, a city with a robust sky-scraper laden skyline. Iconic locations in Dubai including the Burj Al Arab, Al Mas Tower in Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Central Park in DIFC, Meydan and the Sound Stages in Dubai Studio City formed the backdrop of the ‘futureland’. Stars including Idris Elba and Chris Pine were in Dubai for the 13-day film shoot. Image Credit:

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Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2020): The much anticipated ‘Bunty Aur Babli 2’ cast led by Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Sharvari, were in the UAE’s capital for a ten-day shoot. They filmed in locations including the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Emirates Palace, according to Abu Dhabi Production company twofour54. Produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Varun V Sharma, the con comedy marks the sequel of its 2005 original film which featured Abhishek Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan along with Mukerji. "The portions shot in Abu Dhabi will be a treat for the eyes of audiences," said producer Aditya Chopra in a statement. Image Credit:

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Dilliwaali Zaalim Girlfriend (2013): Her debut Bollywood feature may be set entirely in Delhi, but Dubai-raised filmmaker Japinder Kaur wasn't going to miss an opportunity to showcase the city that she grew up in. Kaur brought the crew of Zaalim Dilli to the swanky nightclub Roberto Cavalli to shoot a song featuring British Punjabi rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh. Image Credit:

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Zero (2018): Did you know that Shah Rukh Khan’s 'Zero', also starring Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif, was shot briefly in Dubai? But it’s no secret that Khan enjoys a deep bond with the UAE, he even own a sea-facing home in Dubai’s plush Palm Jumeirah. Apart from Dubai, the movie was also shot in Alabama in the United States and in Mumbai. Image Credit:

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Tiger Zinda Hai (2017): Bollywood director Ali Abbas Zafar, who filmed for 65 days in Abu Dhabi for his star-studded spy thriller Tiger Zinda Hai with Salman Khan, felt he had struck gold when he saw the Arkan Cement Factory in Al Ain at night. The Goliath industrial building, which isn’t a typical architectural marvel, had a majestic aura around it, claims the director. “The factory, which was the only building in that deserted area, looked like something out of a Star Wars set. There was that foreboding humming sound coming out of it as if aliens had descended upon it. It made me think why someone has never shot at the Arkan cement factory before,” said Zafar. All of that summer, Zafar and his team led by Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif — who play rival spies from India and Pakistan respectively — were hard at work to bring their action film alive. They filmed at 50 degree Celsius heat in locations including Liwa desert with a 300-plus international crew. Image Credit: Supplied

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Dabangg (2010): For the first time in his career, Bollywood actor Salman Khan – who has sworn never to kiss his co-stars on the big screen – shot a romantic song in Dubai. He chose Dubai Metro to romance his on-screen wife, played by Sonakshi Sinha. “We are not going around trees any more, now we are doing it around trains," quipped Bollywood star Salman Khan as he summed up his experience of shooting a song sequence at the Dubai metro back in 2010. He primarily shot at the Khalid Bin Walid Station in Dubai and the song was his way of introducing his onscreen wife Sonakshi Sinha to the beauty of a foreign country. "The station was fascinating. Some of our airports aren't this large or like this. India is so much larger, but I think all you [Indians] are working here and nobody is working there," said Khan laughing loudly at his own joke. Image Credit: Supplied

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Bewakoofiyaan (2013): Bollywood actress and fashionista Sonam Kapoor shot prominent portions of this romantic comedy in glitzy malls and spots including the Dubai Mall and areas around Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence. The portions where Kapoor is seen splurging and the vibrant retail scene is all set in this region. Image Credit: PTI

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Arabeem Ottakom P. Madhavan Nayarum in Oru Marubhoomikkadha (2011): This was Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and director Priyadarshan’s 43rd film together. They shot in various parts of the UAE including a palatial villa in Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa City, Corniche, Yas Island, and Al Ain. "This is my 43rd film with Priyadarshan. We have done so many films together. I have even done a Hindi film with him. After more than six years, we are working together for a hit again. Priyan has a different approach — 43 films, there is a long history,” said Mohanlal in an interview back then. Image Credit: Abdul Rahman/Gulf News

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Sea Shadow (2010): The first local film funded by Image Nation Abu Dhabi -- the filmmaking arm of Abu Dhabi Media Company – was shot extensively in Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi. This coming-of-age drama, directed by Emirati Nawaf Al-Janahi, about two 16-year-old boys from RAK chronicled their self-discovery as they experienced romance, heartbreak, and familial conflicts. Their collective aim was to create an authentic Emirati atmosphere. Their production budget was reportedly Dhs3.67 million. Image Credit: Supplied

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From A To B (2013): From A To B: In 2014, Ali F Mostafa’s second feature film made cultural history when it earned the distinction of being the first Emirati film to open the 8th Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF). And, it was shot extensively in the UAE as it was a road trip film about three Arab friends who embark on a journey from Abu Dhabi to Beirut in memory of their dead best friend. They filmed in Abu Dhabi and Liwa before travelling to Amman, Petra and Wadi Rum in Jordan for the remaining scenes. While the film will give you the illusion of traversing Saudi Arabia, Syria and beyond, most of the scenes were shot in Abu Dhabi and Jordan. Image Credit: Supplied

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Varathan (2019): This slick Malayalam thriller opened with scenes set in Dubai. The UAE played an integral part in director Amal Neerad's blockbuster where this on-screen couple played by Fahadh Faasil and Aishwarya Lekshmi revealed snapshots of their lush life in Dubai, before they head to Kerala. The actors were here for at least a week and were filming in locations including Sheikh Zayed Road and Business Bay area. The contrast between their life in a bustling metropolis like Dubai and then their move to a rustic town in Kerala worked well for the movie's plot. Image Credit: IMDB

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Dune (2020): This sci-fi epic, starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, and Jason Momoa, will transport you to the desert landscapes of the UAE. The Abu Dhabi desert and Jordan’s Wadi Rum form prominent backdrops in this high-octane fantasy set in a fictional and eerie planet called Arrakis. “It was really surreal … These are Goliath landscapes, which you may imagine existing on planets in our universe, but not on Earth,” said Chalamet in an interview with Variety as he discussed his experiences of filming in the Middle East. It was also reported that the scenes set in the Abu Dhabi desert was often filmed in the early morning, to catch the spectacular sunrise on camera. “I remember going out of my room at 2am, and it being probably 100 degrees,” said the actor. Image Credit:

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Mission Impossible 7 and 8: It is not easy to film during a global pandemic, but the Mission Impossible team led by director Christopher McQuarrie achieved the almost impossible. McQuarrie’s heartfelt message stands proof to his admiration for the UAE. “Of the many challenges we’ve faced on our journey, none will be greater than outshining the gifts Abu Dhabi has given us,” McQuarrie said on Instagram, thanking all the key players involved in the film’s production in Abu Dhabi. Hollywood action hero Tom Cruise, who plays the lead in this hit franchise, was also spotted at the Louvre Abu Dhabi which is speculated as one of the backdrops of this action blockbuster. Image Credit: Instagram

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36 China Town (2005): Directed by Abbas-Mustan, this Bollywood comedy and mystery was filmed partly in Dubai. If you re-visit this star studded film starring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, you will get to witness Dubai as a city on the cusp of construction boom. Locations such as the Dubai Creek and Hajjar mountains proved to be the perfect backdrop for some of its popular songs. Image Credit: IMDB

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Diamond Necklace (2012): This Malayalam blockbuster, starring Fahadh Faasil, was billed as the first Indian film to be shot inside the Burj Khalifa, following in the footsteps of Hollywood blockbuster Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, although it's rather less expensive — it has a modest budget of Rs40 million (Dh2.84 million). "Shooting at the Burj Khalifa was a memorable experience. It's almost like a character in my film — the scene at the Armani Residences displays Dr Arun's high-flying lifestyle," said Fazil in an interview with Gulf News. He played a Dubai-based doctor who is a reckless spendthrift in this film and this city is almost a character in this slice-of-life drama. Image Credit:

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Untitled Narain film (2021): South Indian actor Narain, known for his stirring Malayalam and Tamil films, was in the UAE to shoot portions of his new thriller this year. The ‘Classmates’ star was spotted filming in Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah for his yet-to-be-titled venture in Tamil. They shot for more than 36 days in this region. “This is my first film shoot after the outbreak of COVID-19 and I am back to shooting after a long time … It’s not been easy … The day before we are due to fly to the UAE, our writer from Tamil Nadu tested positive for COVID-19 and he went into a 15-day quarantine. Our shooting was about to begin in the UAE, so we were really scared because we wanted to shoot without any hindrances,” said Narain in an exclusive interview with Gulf News during the shoot. Image Credit:

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Sarkaru Vaari Paata (2021): Telugu superstar spent a few weeks in Dubai and Sharjah to film his upcoming project ‘Sarkaru Vaari Paata’. He shot for two days at in5 Media, located in Dubai Production City, where a special set was erected for the film. They also drove up to the coast in Sharjah where they filmed at Mleiha, a UNESCO-nominated World Heritage Site. During his downtime, Babu enjoyed his evening in the desert with a roaring bonfire. Image Credit: Supplied

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Koode (2018): South Indian superstar Prithviraj chose to film his 100th film of his career in Sharjah. The actor filmed for two days for director Anjali Menon’s drama. While the actor wasn’t keen to dwell on the details of the Sharjah shoot, he said that the Middle East played a pivotal role in the film. Local line producer Mini Sarma of Seven Media, who facilitated the shoot for Koode in Sharjah at an oil refinery, also spoke highly of the Koode team. “It is incredible that my first job as a line producer was for Raju’s [Prithviraj] film Thanthonni and now I am working on his 100th film as a line producer… Both Anjali and him are very good at their jobs and swiftly wrapped up their shooting schedule in Sharjah within the allocated time. They both have production backgrounds and therefore are very efficient,” said Sarma. Image Credit: Supplied

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Going to Heaven (2014): This Emirati film, directed by Saeed Salmeen Al-Murry, is set in the UAE and chronicles the journey of a 11-year-old boy Sultan who travels from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah via Dubai with his best friend to reunite with his maternal grandmother. If you are in the mood to see the UAE landscape in all its glorious authenticity, then this film is right up your street. Image Credit: Image Nation Abu Dhabi

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Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2015): Filmed from start to finish in Dubai, this Malayalam thriller had this city woven into its family drama. This Dubai-set tale about a loving family hitting a rough patch gives you a taste of what it is like to live in this emirate. Actors Nivin Pauly, Renji Panicker, Sreenath Bhasi, Ashwin Kumar and Aima Rosmy Sebastian shot extensively in Dubai's iconic landmarks, roads, and parks to bring their life story alive. It serves as a cautionary tale for our expatriates who are in this region to eke out a living. Image Credit: IMDB

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Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya (2004): In this Bollywood romantic-comedy, starring Sushmita Sen, Katrina Kaif, and Salman Khan, several scenes were shot at the hotel Grand Hyatt Dubai. Their hit song 'Teri Meri Love Story' was also filmed here. Image Credit: IMDB

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Deliver Us From Evil (2013): Shot largely in Liwa, US director Scott Derrickson — whose credits include horror films such as The Exorcism Of Emily Rose, Sinister and The Day The Earth Stood Still – chose the UAE to bring alive his paranormal tale. The title sequence and the opening scenes starring Joel McHale, Olivia Munn, and Sean Harris were filmed in Abu Dhabi. Image Credit: Moviestore Collection/REX

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Wall Street- Money Never Sleeps (2009): If a director is on the hunt for a luxurious setting, then Dubai known for its glossy exterior is a natural pit stop for many Hollywood directors. In this Wall Street sequel, starring Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko, a handful of the opulent scenes in the film were shot in this city. The scenes featuring the tainted stock trader Gekko and his idealistic son-in-law Jake (Shia LaBeouf), on the trading floor were filmed in New York. If you are looking for luxury, then Dubai proved that its stocks are high on that front. Image Credit: Rex Features

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Independence Day Resurgence (2016): Dubai makes a striking appearance in this star-studded futuristic 2001 movie when you witness Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa being thrown into London’s River Thames when aliens attack the earth. It’s not often that you see such a signature landmark going up against the London Eye on the big screen. Image Credit: Clint Egbert/Gulf News

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Vanguard (2019): If you are in the mood to see some of Dubai’s most popular landmarks on the big screen, then Jackie Chan’s action film ‘Vanguard’s is right up your street. The Stanley Tong-directed film, also starring Yang Yang and Miya Muqi, was shot in locations including Citywalk, Downtown Area, Dubai Studio City, and the iconic Burj Khalifa. Chan, who also shot Kung Fu Yoga in Dubai, was happy to return to this Emirate to film his glitzy action caper and promised to return again. Image Credit:

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Saaho: South Indian superstar Prabhas shot his ambitious trilingual feature in Abu Dhabi along with Shraddha Kapoor and stunt director Kenny Baytes. He was in the capital for over 50 days where at least 250 crew members were stationed to film this Rs3.25 billion project. The large-scale action scenes took 20 days to shoot and more than 27 cars were blown up to make it all come alive. Image Credit: Supplied

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Sonic the Hedgehog (2020): This family friendly adventure featuring the blue critter was the second-highest grossing film of 2020, and was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi, revealed local production hub twofour54 at that time. Production giant Paramount Pictures two years ago filmed for ‘Mission Impossible — Fallout’ in Abu Dhabi and returned to the UAE once again to shoot for the box office hit ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’. Key scenes from the comedy were shot in the capital with a 25-strong crew, including explosions and landscape shots captured through helicopters and drones. According to a Gulf News report at that time, the final edit in the film depicting Sonic (Ben Schwartz), under fire from nemesis Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey), was seen running through Abu Dhabi’s Liwa Desert, which doubled as the dunes that surround Egyptian pyramids and sphinx. Image Credit:

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The Misfits (2020): When the former James Bond actor landed in the UAE to film his gold heist flick ‘The Misfits’, he made sure that he played the quintessential tourist. Taking to his Instagram, he posted a picture of him sitting with his legs up on a camel and captioned the photo: “Dubai... ‘The Misfits’... my new buddy Chuck!”. The actor split his shooting schedule between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. He shot with actors including Nick Cannon, Jamie Chung, Rami Jaber and more in the UAE. Image Credit: Instagram/PierceBrosnan

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War Machine (2015): Brad Pitt’s satirical comedy War Machine filmed for 22 days in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2015. Around 20 locations around the UAE were zeroed in to film this project. While Abu Dhabi was dressed up as a fictional American embassy in Kabul, some scenes were shot at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, as well as remote desert areas and in the neighbouring emirate Ras Al Khaimah. Image Credit: TNS

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Race (2007): The mountainous Jebel Hafeet played a crucial part in director duo Abbas-Mastan’s thriller starring Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna as tempestuous siblings. Remember the scene in which a swanky sports car skidding and rolling down the mountains? There was also an explosion right after and all of those action-filled sequences were shot in our backyard. The team were in the UAE for several weeks to film those pivotal scenes. Another scene in which a childhood memory of Khanna and Khan riding a bicycle was shot in the green Mubazzara park. The rest of the film was shot in Durban in South Africa. But long before Abbas-Mastan set their eyes on the UAE as a lush filming destination, there was director Mahesh Bhatt who chose to film his star-studded project 'Naam' in Dubai along with actors Sanjay Dutt, Poonam Dhillon, Nutan, and Kumar Gaurav in 1985. Image Credit: IMDB

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