Extraction: How shooting was done in Dhaka

One of the most anticipated new movies of this year "Extraction", which is based on Dhaka, was released on Netflix Friday noon. The three minute long trailer on YouTube shows quite a few glimpses of the city. As a matter of fact, the movie was named "Dhaka" at first and changed to Extraction later. 

Since the plotline of the movie mostly revolves around Dhaka, Bangladeshi viewers are naturally excited about the movie. Extraction stars Chris Hemsworth as the protagonist - a mercenary named Tyler Rake. Other cast members include Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani, Indian actor Randeep Hooda and Pankaj Tripathi, among others.

The movie was scheduled to be shot completely in Dhaka, but the decision was changed later. While speaking to The Business Standard, Bangladeshi veteran actor Tariq Anam Khan, who was in charge of the shooting in Bangladesh, said that the film has been directed by Sam Hargrave and produced by Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo. However, Khan declined to comment further on the matter.

It has been found that the movie was produced under Indochina Production, a Thai production house. Khan is the film's production partner for Bangladesh's portion of the shooting. Indochina Production was also in charge of a few Marvel movies including Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War.

An anonymous source from the shooting crew in Bangladesh informed that the film was shot for three days in Dhaka in February last year. However, a small team of Hargrave and a few others joined the Bangladesh team, sans the actors. The shooting took place in Old Dhaka, Jatrabari and other nearby areas by setting up a temporary camp. The team would wake up very early every day. Sometimes they needed to take early morning shots and had to wait till the winter fog dissipated. The workflow was very methodical and they always waited to take the best shot.  

Another member of the Bangladesh crew informed that after the plan to shoot in Dhaka was a no-go, the management planned to continue with the shoot in Mumbai, but that plan was also scrapped. At the last minute, the crew managed to shoot the remainder of the scenes on a road in Bangkok to mimic Old Dhaka. Some of the shots were taken in chroma to merge it properly with the scenarios of Old Dhaka Director. Hargrave himself took some shots of the Buriganga river and its bridge.  

Speaking about his experience, Tariq Anam Khan said, "The experience was definitely good. Our first experience working with them was back in 2014, during the shooting of Avengers. That experience came in handy this time."

The movie's story surrounds a clash between Indian and Bangladeshi crime lords as the son of an Indian crime lord is kidnapped and brought to Dhaka. Hemsworth arrives in Dhaka to extract the hostage. Aside from the action, the story also includes Tyler Rake's life story.