Yash Raj Film, India’s leading film production and distribution company, have confirmed plans to bring their major productions to locations across the United Kingdom from early 2026, creating over 3,000 jobs and boosting the economy by millions of pounds, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced in Mumbai today.
To mark the announcement,
the Prime Minister visited Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai today alongside a
delegation of some of Britain’s biggest names in film including the British
Film Institute, the British Film Commission, Pinewood Studios, Elstree Studios
and Civic Studios. Yash Raj’s Studio completes 20 years of operations in India
on October 12th.
The Prime Minister is on a
two-day trade mission to strengthen ties with one of the fastest growing
economies in the world and put money back into the pockets of hard-working
British people. That includes deepening the collaboration of the UK and India’s
globally renowned creative industries.
The UK film industry
contributes £12 billion a year to the economy and supports 90,000 jobs across
every region of the country. It is a sought-after destination for international
filmmakers thanks to its world-leading studio infrastructure and iconic backdrops.
India is the largest
producer of films in the world, and Yash Raj’s commitment follows an 8-year
hiatus from filming in the UK – showcasing the impact the UK-India trade deal
is already having.
The UK’s creative
industries are globally recognised as world-leading, consistently setting
international trends and commanding respect for artistic excellence, commercial
success and cultural influence worldwide.
As a country of 1.4
billion with a growing entertainment industry, India represents a major
opportunity for UK companies to expand and grow – and vice versa.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“Bollywood is back in Britain, and it’s bringing jobs, investment and opportunity, all while showcasing the UK as a world-class destination for global filmmaking.
“This is exactly the kind
of partnership our trade deal with India is destined to unlock – driving
growth, strengthening cultural ties and delivering for communities across the
country.”
Yash Raj Films’ CEO Akshaye Widhani said:
“The UK holds a very special place in our hearts and some of our most iconic films, including Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) were shot in this beautiful and incredibly hospitable country.
“We were honoured to host the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at YRF today to ink this pact and also had the pleasure to discuss how India and UK could come together to push the content landscape globally through landmark collaborations like this.
“It is truly special to
reignite YRF and UK’s filming ties in the 30th anniversary of DDLJ - a film
that is synonymous to UK-India’s relationship. Our company is currently
producing the stage adaptation of DDLJ, the English musical titled Come Fall in
Love (CFIL) in the UK too.
“So, we are thrilled to join hands with the UK again and return to filming in the country that has always been extremely kind to us. UK’s infrastructure, technology and talent is unmatched and we are delighted to deepen our cultural ties with a country that has always empowered us to excel creatively.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
"The UK’s and India’s film industries are truly world class, entertaining billions around the world. Given the strength of our sectors and the deep cultural ties between our two countries, partnerships between Bollywood and British studios make complete sense.
"By making these
Bollywood blockbusters in Britain we will be driving more growth in our
world-class creative industries, as we committed to in our Creative Industries
Sector Plan."
Today’s announcement is
the latest example of how the UK’s deepening partnerships with India’s booming
cultural scene will create new jobs, drive investment and bolster creative
content in the UK, while celebrating our valuable people-to-people links.
Supporting this further
will be a cooperation agreement (MoU) between the British Film Institute and
the National Film Development Commission of India, which will reinvigorate
co-production and enable filmmakers from both countries to share resources and
talent.
Past Indian productions
have yielded global hits. Cross-cultural hit film Slumdog Millionaire, brought
in around £300million to the UK economy, on a budget of just £12milllion,
highlighting what’s possible when UK technical expertise and Indian storytelling
unite.
