Director: Vinay Bharadwaj
Starring: Yaashika Aanand, Richard Rishi, Punnagai Poo Geetha
Production Company: Esquire Productions, Mediaone Global Entertainment
Kent Locations Used: Botany Bay
Sila Nodigalil (2023) is an Indian Tamil-language Kollywood thriller following married cosmetic surgeon Raj whose mistress Maya accidentally dies of an overdose. Trying to keep his secrets from his wife, his life starts to unravel.
Production visited Botany Bay to shoot the film’s climactic ending, where the truth is finally revealed.
One of the most popular filming locations in Kent, Botany Bay is a sandy bay set against a white cliff backdrop with a steep, sandy track for access and small porta cabin café. Other Bollywood productions to have filmed on Botany Bay include Carry on Jatta 3 (2023), Jhimma (2021) and Bhikari (2017).
Sila Nodigalil (2023) was released on Friday 24th November 2023 and can now be streamed on Amazon Prime.
Director: Tarun Teja Mallareddy
Starring: Vasanth Ravi, Vimala Raman, Saras Menon, Muralidaran, Udhaya Deep, Simran Pareek
Production Company: Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra, Vibgyor Vibe Media Services, Victory Visuals
Kent Locations Used: Bedgebury Manor
Asvins (2023) is an Indian Tamil-language psychological horror film following a group of YouTubers investigating paranormal activity in a mansion in Kent. After accidentally unleashing a 1500-year-old evil entity, the group must fight to save their lives.
Most of the film was shot at Bedgebury Manor in Cranbrook, featuring as the haunted house the crew investigate.
Bedgebury Manor is a privately owned and partly restored former boarding school set in 200 acres of parkland in the Weald of Kent. There are many facilities including a gymnasium, offices, a study centre and accommodation block.
Asvins (2023) was released on Netflix on Friday 23rd June 2023.
Writer: Nick Bain Director: Karthik Subbaraj Starring: James Cosmo, Dhanush, Aishwarya Lekshmi Production Company: Reliance Entertainment Kent Locations Used: Faversham, Chillenden Windmill, Herne Bay, Knowlton Court, Ramsgate
Jagame Thandhiram (2021) is a Tamil action thriller about an Indian gangster who is hired by a UK gang to take down their competition. When he betrays their trust, however, the gang seeks revenge.
The production filmed several day and night scenes in the centre of Faversham where they converted various shops, set up a street market and staged a large dance sequence. Production also filmed at Iron Wharf in Faversham, which doubles as a boatyard for a scene where the two rival gangs fight and Suruli kills Rajan (Muthukumar). The exterior of St Mary of Charity church in Faversham is where Suruli tells Attila that he loves her.
Driving scenes were staged around Chillenden Windmill near Canterbury, including a snowy scene on Goodnestone Road where Suruli’s gang kill the opposing gang members and capture John (Roman Fiori).
Herne Bay Pier, Neptune Arm and the Promenade provided the location for a wedding scene, and The King’s Hall doubles as the bar where the two rival gangs have their first battle and Sivadoss’ (Joju George) gang is slain.
Filming also took place at Knowlton Court country estate near Canterbury in both the house and on estate lands., which doubles in the film for Peter Sprott’s manor house. The Church at Knowlton Court features in a funeral dance scene.
Ramsgate also features in the film. A house on Belle Alliance Square doubles as Attila’s house which Peter’s gang shoot at in order to bribe Suruli to go to Birmingham to carry out a job. The Port of Ramsgate doubles as a Marina where Peter’s gang plan a raid, and the opening scene of the film features a refugee boat being captured in the English Channel, which was filmed just off the coast.
Faversham is a beautiful historic market town in the Swale Borough of Kent. The historic town boasts over 500 listed buildings. The Bollywood film Pagalpanti (2019) filmed in the town.
Herne Bay is a seaside town which has a pier and shingle beach and is set just outside of the historic City of Canterbury.
Chillenden Windmill is a Grade ll listed building and distinctive local landmark, standing on an exposed site at Goodnestone, Dover. The windmill is on high open ground with fine views to Knowlton Court to the east and Ramsgate to the north. It is also situated on a circular walk taking in Chillenden, Rowling and Goodnestone.
Knowlton Court is a much-loved family home within a stunning and extensive country estate of over 1,900 acres nestled in the heart of Kent. Described as a ‘timeless work of Tudor history’, Knowlton was built in 1585 and has sweeping tree-lined driveway and seven holiday cottages. The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) filmed here and the main hall is now available for weddings and events.
Ramsgate, located in the district of Thanet, is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Georgian terraced housing, Marina, Port and Promenade. Previous TV productions which filmed here include Baptiste (2019) and The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017).
Jagame Thandhiram (2021)was released on Netflix on Friday 18th June 2021.
Director: A.L. Vijay
Writer: Mike Parish, A.L. Vijay
Starring: Vikram, Jagapathi Babu, Anushka Shetty, Lakshmi Rai, Amy Jackson
Production Company: UTV Motion Pictures
Kent Locations Used: Botany Bay
Thaandavam (2012) is a Tamil film directed by A.L. Vijay (Thalaivaa, Deiva Thirumagal) and is a mix of action, thriller and sci-fi with traditional Indian song and dance. The film stars some big Bollywood names and is about a blind man who has a special ‘Echolocation’ power on a revenge mission. It is one of the first Indian films to have shot action scenes using Hollywood technology and techniques.
The Thaandavam crew came to Botany Bay back in April 2012, and the stunning beach was used for a dance sequence with a sand artist.
Botany Bay is in Thanet and is a popular film location due to its blue flag beach almost 200m long with stunning chalk cliffs and rock pools. Productions that have previously filmed at the location include Series 1 of the Sky Atlantic comedy Hunderby (2012), BBC drama True Love (2012), and ITV’s The Fixer (2008).
Thaandavam was released in UK cinemas on Thursday 27th September 2012. It is now available to stream on Netflix.