Deepika-Ranveer starrer ‘Ram-Leela’ hits UK Drive-In scene

The Tongues on Fire UK Asian Film Festival is back in partnership with the Bollywood Company to beat the coronavirus lockdown blues with another Drive-In screening, this time of the Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh starrer ‘Ram-Leela’.

Following on from the success of similar screenings of Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ at Bollywood Drive-In shows in the Hertfordshire countryside of southern England, Bollywood fans will this time get the chance to watch filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s extravaganza. 

The innovative cinematic project, conceptualised by the UK Asian Film Festival and BollyCo, has been designed within the UK government’s social distancing requirements, with a venue capacity of 60 cars per day, with parking spaces allocated on arrival at the venue. Soft drinks and cocktails are served by London’s popular mobile cocktail bar and mixologists, Azure Bar Events, with popcorn and snacks also available on site. 

The evenings include a live DJ set followed by other live entertainment, with vehicles provided with audio packs for the screening of the film. 

‘Ram Leela’, a modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, dates back to 2013 and centres around the characters of Ram and Leela portrayed on screen by real-life couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh – dubbed DeepVeer.

The screenings, at Ponsbourne Park on July 31 and August 1, are part of the UK Asian Film Festival’s efforts to support the entertainment industry through the tough Covid-19 lockdown phase, when most public venues are yet to reopen amid social distancing norms.

“UK Asian Film Festival is proud to partner with the Bollywood Co for the final #BollyCoDriveIn of the summer – an immersive cinematic experience, socially distanced for your safety,” UKAFF said.

“We will have taken measures and will implement social distancing for both guests and staff, regular cleaning of all facilities, contact-free food and beverage orders, as well as socially-distanced deliveries,” the Bollywood Company added.

*Info on Bollywood Drive-In Cinema, here