Street is the star as film company comes to town (From The Bolton News)

Street is the star as film company comes to town

9:02am Saturday 4th September 2010 in

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A SLICE of Bollywoodstyle glamour landed in Bolton when a quiet terrace street off Spa Road was transformed into a film set for a new British comedy-drama.

Film crews from Left Bank Pictures have been in town filming the big screen version of the play, Rafta Rafta, which enjoyed rave reviews when it was performed at the Octagon Theatre earlier this year.

An all-star cast includes rising star Reece Ritchie, who was last seen on TV screens in Channel 4’s Pete Versus Life and the blockbuster Prince of Persia, and Amara Karan as two young lovers about to get married.

Bollywood superstar Harish Patel and Meera Syal, from BBC’s The Kumars at No 42, also wowed locals as they filmed scenes in Charles Holden Street.

Producer Suzanne Mackie, who worked on the smash hit Calendar Girls, said she and director Nigel Cole were keen to pull out all the stops to bring filming to Bolton — as local-born playwright Bill Naughton penned the play on which Rafta Rafta is based.

Many of the cast appeared in the National Theatre version of Rafta Rafta and all spent time in Bolton earlier this year perfecting the local accent.

Reece Ritchie, who plays the male lead Atul, said: “I came up here to do some research.

“Everyone has been great.

We’ve had the children around here getting excited, as you would expect when a film set turns up on your doorstep.”

Location staff scoured the town for suitable locations before settling on an endterrace house owned by Abdul Rahim Majid.

He said: “Everyone has been fantastic.

“My four-year-old grandson, Hassan is fascinated by the cameras, and Reece has become like a new grandson.”

Bolton Council helped to facilitate the filming crew, who finish filming today, in Victoria Square.

Cllr Linda Thomas, deputy leader of the council, said: “I thought the play was extremely humorous and entertaining when I watched it at the Octagon on its opening night. I’m really looking forward to watching it on the big screen. It will be really exciting to see Bolton Town Hall and other parts of Bolton being featured in what is bound to be a major box office hit.”

Rafta Rafta is based on the play All In Good Time, by Bolton playwright Bill Naughton, with the original themes transported to Bolton’s close-knit Asian community by Salford-born Ayub Khan-Din, who also penned East Is East and the forthcoming West Is West, both of which are based on Naughton plays.

Rafta Rafta tells the tale of two newlyweds, full of hope and love for each other, who are forced to move back in with the groom’s parents. It is expected to be in cinemas next spring.