It seems an eternity since The National broke the news in August 2015 that Jackie Chan's latest movie, Kung Fu Yoga, would be shooting in Dubai the following month.
This weekend, the film finally arrives in local cinemas. A Chinese/Indian co-production, it aims to combine the might of two of the world’s biggest movie industries.
Martial arts legend Chan stars as a professor from China’s Museum of the Terracotta Warriors, alongside Indian actresses Disha Patani and Amyra Dastur (Katrina Kaif was set to star, but missed out due to scheduling problems).
The filmmakers shot extensively in Dubai at a number of locations. Atlantis, The Palm was the scene of several days of martial-arts action, as bemused guests looked on and security guards ushered away anyone who lingered too long around the hotel’s famous aquarium – the backdrop for much of the fighting.
Downtown Dubai and Business Bay also served as locations, with several days of road closures as the stars chased each other in a variety of impressive supercars. It was a treat for star spotters around the city, who were spoiled for choice given Star Trek Beyond was also filming in the city at the same time.
Alkatraz Productions in Dubai Studio City were the local production partners for Kung Fu Yoga, and chief executive Ammar Al Khrisat admits that his company was largely responsible for the traffic jams and hotel-lobby battles that baffled guests and residents for more than three weeks.
“We worked on all the locations through our location department and scouted the locations for and with the Chinese crew – we tried to show them everywhere,” he says.
“Then we had to start working with the film commission. It wasn’t easy because there were a lot of road closures needed and that was all down to us, too.”
As you might imagine, closing major roads in a busy city centre is far from simple.
“We had to advise all the locations we wanted to shoot at and devise a plan for the rerouting of traffic with the necessary committees, even down to rerouting buses and public transport – but we made it work in the end,” Al Khrisat says.
Founded three years ago, Alkatraz is a relative newcomer to the UAE movie scene but already has an impressive list of credits, not the least of which is 2014's Star Wars: The Force Awakens shoot in Abu Dhabi, for which it cast the local extras.
Al Khrisat is no newcomer to the industry, however.
"I've worked in facilitation for film shoots for many years," he says. "One of my first big local projects was Syriana [the 2005 film starring George Clooney, which was the first major Hollywood movie to shoot in the UAE], so I had a lot of contacts.
"Kung Fu Yoga all started with a proposal that came to Dubai Studio City, and as a locally-owned company based there we were offered the chance to quote on it. I got in touch with the Chinese crew and we started working together from there."
Audiences will get to see how well Chan fared on his visit to Dubai when the film is released tomorrow – but Al Khrisat says the star proved himself to be a gentleman while shooting here.
“He was a great guy,” he says. “He works really closely with everyone, allowed everyone to take photos with him, he walks everywhere, just a very humble person.”
Were there any surprises or secrets he can share about Chan?
“He loves to cook,” says Al Khrisat. “Honestly, he was cooking for the crew at the end of the day when we finished shooting. He’s actually an amazing chef. Just a really great guy all around.”
• Kung Fu Yoga is in cinemas from Thursday, February 2
cnewbould@thenational.ae
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
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Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Awar Qalb
Director: Jamal Salem
Starring: Abdulla Zaid, Joma Ali, Neven Madi and Khadija Sleiman
Two stars
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
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Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs
A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.
The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.
Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.
Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.