Lucknow has quietly become Bollywood and OTT’s most reliable co-star! Its grand Nawabi architecture, colonial landmarks, bustling bazaars, and layered old-world charm make it the perfect canvas for any story, from political dramas and gangster sagas to romantic thrillers and period pieces. Whatever the mood, Lucknow always shows up and delivers. Here are 10 films and shows that knew exactly where to shoot!
Raid 1 & Raid 2
Lucknow’s stately architecture has a way of making everything feel more dramatic, and Raid 1 & 2 knew exactly how to use it! The iconic La Martiniere College, the graceful Isabella Thoburn College, and the Ramada Convention Centre became the battleground for Ajay Devgn’s fearless IRS officer, giving the franchise its sharp, authoritative edge!
Bullett Raja
Lucknow didn’t just provide a backdrop for Bullett Raja; it practically played a character! The chaotic streets of Hazratganj, the historic Kakori Railway Station, the atmospheric Jahangirabad Palace, the sprawling Kukrail grounds, every location dripped with the kind of raw, lived-in energy that no studio set could ever replicate.
Mirzapur Season 3
Mirzapur Season 3 rolled into Lucknow and the city stole the show! The chaotic charm of Chowk, the majestic Imambara, the legendary Rumi Darwaza, and the quieter bylanes of Kakori and Malihabad, Lucknow brought its full personality to the screen and gave the season a gritty, grounded energy that hit differently!
Khuda Haafiz, Khuda Haafiz Chapter II: Agni Pariksha
Lucknow’s most iconic landmarks got a full-on action-thriller makeover in Khuda Haafiz (2020) and its sequel Agni Pariksha (2022)! The Clock Tower, Rumi Gate, and the charming Christian College in Chowk set the stage for some seriously gripping sequences, proving that Lucknow’s timeless architecture hits just as hard in a romantic-action thriller as it does in real life!
Rangbaaz Season 1
Lucknow didn’t just lend its streets to Rangbaaz Season 1 (2018), it became the soul of the story. To bring the gritty world of UP gangster Shiv Prakash Shukla to life, the city’s raw architecture and lived-in lanes were transformed into an authentic 90s backdrop that felt less like a set and more like stepping back in time!
Haq
Lucknow’s architectural soul found its way onto the big screen once again in Haq (2025). The city’s most storied landmarks, the Amir-ud-daula Public Library, Safed Baradari, Tomb of Saadat Ali Khan, and the historic Akbari Gate, set the stage beautifully, with nearby Kakori and Sandila adding even more local flavour to this gripping social drama!
Mission Majnu
Lucknow’s old-world charm pulled off something extraordinary in Mission Majnu (2023), the City of Nawabs transformed seamlessly into 1970s Pakistan, right on screen! From the iconic Sharma Chai lanes in Lalbagh to the regal Jahangirabad Palace in Hazratganj and the stunning La Martiniere College, Lucknow absolutely nailed every frame!
Maharani
Lucknow has a talent for becoming whatever a story needs, and Maharani put that to brilliant use! The city’s imposing colonial architecture and bustling, characterful streets transformed seamlessly into Bihar’s politically charged world, giving this gripping drama exactly the gritty gravitas it needed. Different state, same undeniable Lucknow magic!
Vikram Vedha
Vikram Vedha (2022) didn’t just film in Lucknow, it let the city set the mood entirely! From the chaotic energy of Hazratganj and Aminabad to the brooding grandeur of Rumi Darwaza, Ambedkar Park, and Marine Drive, every frame crackled with Lucknow’s raw, layered personality, giving Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan’s face-off the backdrop it truly deserved!
A Suitable Boy
When Mira Nair needed 1950s India to feel achingly real for A Suitable Boy (2020), Lucknow answered without missing a beat! The city’s Nawabi grandeur, its weathered mosques, soaring minarets, the stately Oel House, and centuries-old heritage didn’t just provide a backdrop; it wrapped the entire series in an atmosphere no studio could ever manufacture!
