Delhi: Ancient History & Modern Red Tape

Delhi is visually stunning—Mughal tombs sitting next to Metro stations. But as the seat of government, it is the headquarters of paperwork. It's certainly worth the effort though. Whenever we take foreign crews to Old Delhi for 'India B-Roll' their reactions say it all.

The ASI Gauntlet

The big ticket locations—Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb—are managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). This department handles shoot applications for most of the heritage monuments in India.

The Rules: Tourists can shoot with phones or DSLRs by paying a small 'camera fee'. But the minute you get out a tripod or gimbal you need a permit. All commercial shoots must have ASI permission.
The Process: Apply online, chase up the application by phone or in person, then pay a security deposit in the local 'Circle' office that covers your location. The deposit is in the form a demand draft.
The Timeline: They say 15 days. We say 30. Permit fees are tiered; a documentary crew pays significantly less than a commercial feature. We handle the Demand Drafts and the face-to-face follow-ups at the ASI office on Tilak Marg.
The Fees: Many monuments are around the $500 + $100 security deposit range but some of the bigger monuments run into thousands of dollars.

Winter Warning: The Fog

If your script calls for a sunrise exterior in January, rewrite it. Delhi winters are infamous for dense fog that can reduce visibility to zero until 11 AM. We schedule interiors for the mornings and exteriors for the afternoon golden hour. You should also take this into account when booking flights. Always try to book flights that arrive or depart after midday in the Winter months.

Air Quality

Every year, around the time of the Diwali Festival, in late October and into November the farmers in neighbouring Punjab burn the stubble in their vast fields. The resulting smoke hangs in the air over Delhi in a choking smog.

Formula E Champion Lucas Di Grassi in Delhi for 'The Race For Clean Air'

Find out more in the Case Study

Triple Grammy Award Winner Ricky Kej in Delhi for DW-TV

Find out more in our Case study