Decline in film shoots at Hyderabad’s iconic Paigah Palace raises upkeep concerns

The Paigah Palace in Begumpet, once a popular Tollywood shooting location, now faces a steep decline in film activity. The HMDA continues spending nearly ₹1 crore annually on upkeep while rental revenues have fallen sharply, prompting calls for alternative use.

Hyderabad: The city’s popular iconic Paigah Palace stands with the usual buzz associated with film shootings having come down drastically in recent times.

The Paigah Palace, a historic landmark located in Begumpet, is well known for its architectural beauty and cultural significance. The once-bustling heritage structure, which served as a preferred location for numerous Tollywood shoots, now experiences reduced activity.

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The decline in film production activities has impacted the local economy and the vibrant nature of the area. The palace, which has served as a popular filming location for many years, is now witnessing fewer visitors and crew members.

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), which is the custodian of the palace continues to maintain the premises at a huge cost. However, the Authority which spends huge amounts on maintenance are peeved at the considerable drop in revenues generated from filmmaking at the sprawling premises.

The US Consulate General Office used the Paigah Palace since 2008 till it moved to new premises in Nanakramguda in March 2023. Since then, the HMDA has been permitting movie shooting at Paigah Palace and collecting rental fees.

“For big star movies, Rs 10 lakh per day is being collected as a rental while for others, it is Rs 3 lakh to 5 lakh.

A caution deposit of Rs 5 lakh is required, which is refundable after checking for any damage that may have occurred to the building during the time of shooting,” a senior HMDA buildings maintenance official told ‘Telangana Today’.

“The HMDA is spending nearly Rs 1 crore per annum for the maintenance of Paigah Palace, but earnings are not more than Rs 10 lakh to 15 lakh a year through movie shootings,” said the official.

Since the Paigah Palace became vacant after shifting of US Consulate, several plans were drawn up on usage of the palace in prime location. The ideas considered included Congress government utilising it as the CM Camp Office,  location of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) office and even setting up Telangana State Museum.

Paigah Palace:

• Boasts of a high ceiling
• 22 feet on the ground floor and 26 feet on the first floor
• Four huge halls and over 20 spacious rooms
• Central portion of the building, with rectangular vents at top provides ample sunlight and fresh air
• Entrance to each room has a pair of huge doors with stucco work
• Pediments atop the doors have intricate work, and floral patterns
• A four-storeyed modern annexe building built in 1999
• Lush greenery spreads in front of the main building