Filming for Bollywood movie brings drama, romance to downtown Frederick Video

FREDERICK, Md. - It’s official – Bollywood has arrived in Frederick, and the city will be on the big screen next fall.

An Indian production company has been filming all over Maryland for its new movie, called “Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai.” Translated into English, it means “This is Life” – and many of the scenes are set in familiar places, like Volt and Bushwaller’s on Market Street.

“It’s huge – it’s huge for tourism, and it’s huge for filmmaking,” said Carl Glorioso, the director of the Frederick Film Office.

This is the second week the production company has been filming in the United States - and director Keshhav Panneriy sought to set part of the story in a more local setting, instead of the usual “big city” scene.

“People have seen New York a lot, people have seen L.A. a lot, people have seen Chicago a lot,” he said. “But the real beauty lies in small towns like this – I love this place.”

The movie is a drama spanning two continents, as the female lead seeks to overcome adversity and find herself.

“This film is like a romantic film,” said Arbaaz Khan, who plays the male lead role. “It’s a film about a woman’s journey, and the kind of people she encounters in her life.”

The two stars – Khan and Manjari Fadnis – are both very well known in India. Although their name recognition is not the same in the U.S., they have attracted some attention. While filming in Volt, several people stopped by the set to say hello and have their pictures taken with them.

“People that don’t follow Bollywood don’t know who these actors are,” Glorioso added. “But people that follow Bollywood cinema…when they hear the names of the two actors, their eyes light up! They want to meet them.”

“It feels good, especially when you’re out of your country, and then you get the love and affection from people around,” Fadnis said. “It feels good, it feels very good.”

The production crew consists of both Indian and American members. They had to overcome the language barrier at first, but now are looking forward to being a part of something special.

“It’s been hard, but it’s been fun,” said Clai Lashley, a production crew member from Shepherdstown, W.Va. “That’s pretty much what filmmaking is about.”

Crews have filmed in other locations in Frederick County, such as Mt. St. Mary’s University and Middletown. They will also shoot in New York and Los Angeles before wrapping up production.

The movie is set to be released in October.