'Extraction': How shooting was done in Dhaka
The most anticipated new movies of this year 'Extraction', which is dependant on Dhaka, was released on Netflix Friday noon. The three minute long trailer on YouTube shows quite a few glimpses of the town. As a matter of fact, the movie was named 'Dhaka' initially and changed to 'Extraction' later.
Because the plotline of the movie mostly revolves around Dhaka, Bangladeshi viewers are naturally worked up about the movie. Extraction stars Chris Hemsworth as the protagonist - a mercenary named Tyler Rake.
Other cast members include Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani, Indian actor Randeep Hooda and Pankaj Tripathi, among others. The movie was scheduled to be shot completely in Dhaka, but the decision was changed later.
While speaking to THE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE Standard, Bangladeshi veteran actor Tariq Anam Khan, who was simply responsible for the shooting in Bangladesh, said that the film has been directed by Sam Hargrave and made by Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo. However, Khan declined to comment further on the problem.
It has been found that the movie was produced under Indochina Production, a Thai production house. Khan is the film's production partner for Bangladesh's part of the shooting. Indochina Production was also in charge of a few Marvel movies including 'Avengers: Endgame' and 'Avengers: Infinity War'.
An anonymous source from the shooting crew in Bangladesh informed that the film was shot for three days in Dhaka in February last year. However, a tiny team of Hargrave and some others joined the Bangladesh team, sans the actors. The shooting occurred in Old Dhaka, Jatrabari and other local areas by establishing a temporary camp.
The team would wake up very early every day. Sometimes they had a need to take early morning shots and had to hold back till the winter fog dissipated. The workflow was very methodical and they always waited to take the very best shot.
Another person in the Bangladesh crew informed that following the intend to shoot in Dhaka was a no-go, the management planned to continue with the shoot in Mumbai, but that plan was also scrapped.
At the last second, the crew managed to shoot the rest of the scenes on a road in Bangkok to mimic Old Dhaka. A number of the shots were taken in chroma to merge it properly with the scenarios of Old Dhaka Director. Hargrave himself took some shots of the Buriganga river and its own bridge.
Speaking about his experience, Tariq Anam Khan said, "The knowledge was definitely good. Our first experience dealing with them was back 2014, during the shooting of 'Avengers'. That experience came in helpful this time."
The movie's story surrounds a clash between Indian and Bangladeshi crime lords as the son of an Indian crime lord is kidnapped and taken to Dhaka. Hemsworth arrives in Dhaka to extract the hostage. Apart from the action, the story also includes Tyler Rake's life story.
