A horse-driven carriage on the greens of Royal Calcutta Golf Club, used during the shooting of Chokher Bali in 2003. (A file picture)

Far from the madding crowd with a twist — that seems to be mantra for the Tolly producers who are zeroing in on the city clubs as shooting locales.

For film crews, clubs offer convenience and comfort. For instance, for Chokher Bali, all Rituparno Ghosh had to do was camp on the verdant greens of RCGC, and his version of early 20th century Calcutta with all its colonial trappings came alive. Ditto for a modern-day party sequence.

The sprawling acres are a big plus. Add to that reliable infrastructure. Whether you are looking for a landscaped terrain or a lovely cottage, you will have choices aplenty. Explains Shamim Ahmed, resident manager, Ibiza in Joka, “At Merlin, there are more than 150 acres. So, it is a ready-made location for producers and directors.”

Shooting at a club also provides a nice break from the usual locations and the inquisitive passers-by. “It is secure compared to shooting on the roads, where at times the crowd can get chaotic,” says Mahendra Soni of Shree Venkatesh Films. The production house has shot at RCGC for Chokher Bali and for Champion at Ibiza.

A club schedule may also mean cutting down production costs. “It will cost me a bomb to erect a set for a 50-second or one-minute shoot,” says Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, who shot a brief party scene at CC&FC for Antaheen.

ubs are more than willing backdrops for films. “It is a win-win situation for us. Firstly, it is free-of-cost publicity, with a mention in the end-credits. Also, it adds to total billing. Besides the basic charge, there are also charges for food and beverage,” points out Ahmed.

These shoots also go a long way in fostering relations that help the club later. “If a relationship develops with the celebrity, the club can invite him or her for a performance later on,” says Jaideep Gangopadhyay, general manager, administration, RCGC.

Member comfort and preserving their property, however, are top concerns for any club. Tolly Club, for one, doesn’t encourage the practice. “Though people are willing to pay, we dissuade it. The greens get damaged and we also do not want to create any inconvenience for members,” says K.B. Menon of Tolly Club, where shootings can take place only on Mondays when the club remains partially shut.

At RCGC, golf comes first. “Golf is a sport that needs tremendous concentration. So, no shooting takes place during the golf season,” says Gangopadhyay.

The charges are mostly calculated on a per-day basis. At Club Ibiza, it also varies depending on the location within the club.

At Tolly Club, too, the rates vary. “There was recently a documentary shoot to promote Bengal. We did not charge anything for that,” explains Menon.

With growing demand, however, the cost of choosing a club as a shooting venue has gone up. “Recently, we had approached one of the clubs. They asked for Rs 50,000 per day. Mostly the rates vary between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000,” says Soni of Shree Venkatesh. Roy Chowdhury, however, feels that compared to studio and set costs, clubs are still an economical option.

Members do not seem to have a problem as long as the shooting crews do not encroach on their privacy. “Mostly, at these shoots, large areas are cordoned off, which is troublesome. As long as that does not happen, it is fine with me,” says Reshmi Bose, a member of CC&FC.