Lucknow churches adorning Bollywood films: A romantic junction

Romanticism in Bollywood is one of the biggest ingredients of a film being adored by its vast audiences — the elements of grandeur, bliss, connection to human emotions, the divine touch, and more. And the film industry has often sought the beauty of the city of Nawabs for its tehzeeb, its adab, and itehaas.

Although many monuments, lanes, architectural delights of Lucknow have featured in movies, the Lucknow churches and Bollywood have had a special rendezvous — where they meet, seldom, at a romantic junction. Today, we feature some of these ravishing beauties in our discussion, while talking about the films they've adorned.

In the recent era, the Ayushmann Khurrana and Amitabh Bachchan starrer Gulabo Sitabo had certain scenes set in the Church of Epiphany. The church, located near Qaiserbagh on Capper Road, is a United Protestant church established in 1877. Flaunting a stark Gothic revival look, the church's red-brick edifice appeared in the film that released in 2020. During the shoot in 2019, thousands of Lucknowites gathered to catch the character Mirza in action.

Another instance of a Lucknow church featuring in a movie was the St Thomas Church. Appearing in the 1979 film 'Junoon' by Shyam Benegal, the Shashi Kapoor starrer has certain essential scenes on the church premises in the Cantonment area of Lucknow.

From some shots of Mai, Meri Patni, Aur Wo and Ishaqzaade in Lucknow University to Always Kabhi Kabhi in Gadar at La Martiniere College, from Umrao Jaan to Paakezah, from Shatranj Ke Khiladi to Bullet Raja, we can keep counting the names of innumerable films that are set in the city of Nawabs. For one cannot deny the magnanimous influence that the city has had and its contribution to the Hindi film industry.

It is also worth mentioning that the new UP film policy has only amended the offered subsidy to film producers. Efforts are being put in to brand the city as a hub for film production and to propel its culture-rich, historical, and architectural significance. Constant promotion of 'ease of filming' and supporting aspiring film-related careers is also in the plans.