Yash Raj Films to produce three major films in the UK from 2026
Yash Raj Films, 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, UK 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 12th October.
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.
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“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 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.
