When Indian-screen superstar Priyanka Chopra came back to Kenya for the making of the epic SSMB29 film, it wasn’t her first African stint. As we’ve already established in our feature on Priyanka Chopra’s African connections, the international star has forged a genuine love affair with the continent that extends beyond shooting dates.
However, Chopra’s visit to Kenya this time is pegged at a Ksh20 billion ($135 million) economic impact. The mega-budget production, which is directed by S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali and RRR), has selected Kenya as its main filming destination in Africa after fighting off competition from Uganda and Tanzania in a hotly contested regional bidding war.
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Why is SSMB29 Featuring Priyank Chopra Important for Priyanka Chopra?
For Kenya, hosting the shooting of SSMB29 featuring the Indian actress is an achievement bigger than the money involved. It represents increasing recognition of Africa as a destination for world-class tourism, as well as production. A 120 crew has been filming scenes across some of Kenya’s most picturesque locations since April, with about 95% the footage in Africa was shot within the country.
Bollywood star actress Priyanka Chopra. Photo/Priyanka
From the thundering herds of Maasai Mara to Lake Naivasha’s pink-tinged shores, from Samburu’s red-earthed landscapes to the elephant corridors of Amboseli under Kilimanjaro’s snow-capped peak, Kenya offers the variety that attracts filmmakers and tourists alike.
What’s different is the scale and ambition of this production. Set to be released in 120 countries and expected to reach a billion viewers, SSMB29 will help familiarise audiences who had never imagined Africa as a travel destination with Kenya’s offerings. This is not just another “African safari” film — it’s a major international production that recognises the potential of Kenya as a cinematic inspiration.
Even Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who hosted director Rajamouli in September, realises the greater stakes. “The productions under our belt are a testament that Kenya is ready to partner and produce world-class international projects and give a platform for growth to local talent,” he advised when they met.
Why is SSMB29 Important for the African Film and Safari Industry?
Film productions such as SSMB29 generate what tourism experts refer to as the “Hollywood effect“–locations featured in hit films often experience a surge in tourist activity years after their release. New Zealand was able to grow a tourism industry after the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it can provide an example for what Kenya would not want to become.
The direct economic impact includes rentals on equipment, rooms for a crew, hiring local labour and the buying of services. But the real value in the long term is global exposure. So when watchers around the globe see Chopra exploring Kenya’s varied terrains, they’re watching an extended tourism advertisement backed by a major studio production’s values.
Bollywood star actress Priyanka Chopra. Photo/Priyanka
Regional Competition Heats Up
The choice of Kenya over Uganda and Tanzania underscores the competition that is rapidly forming within East Africa. All three countries have spectacular natural resources, but Kenya’s mix of developed tourist infrastructure, filming-friendly regulations and logistics tipped the scales.
This win could be a step towards other East African states improving their infrastructure to support film, which may benefit the region as a whole through multiply-located productions making films within driving distance of one another.
Is Priyanka Chopra Good for the Project?
Chopra’s participation introduces her massive social media following into Kenya’s tourism equation. Her recent posts from luxury safari camps have already received a good share of online engagement, providing free marketing that even traditional tourism campaigns find hard to muster.
The thespian gives Kenya a global face. Organets, her previous charity work in the region, combined with her current filming project, puts her in a good position to be an authentic African tourist advocate as opposed to being just another celebrity flying type visiting temporarily.
Bollywood star actress Priyanka Chopra. Photo/Priyanka
SSMB29 is not just a silver screen success. It’s an affirmation of the soft power and globalisation of Africa. When large-scale productions prefer shooting on locations in Africa to traditional options, they’re recognising the continent’s unique offerings.
For tourists motivated by the eventual release of the film, Kenya boasts a variety of safari routes, extensive levels of accommodation to suit all budgets and infrastructure that will allow access to these cinematic locations in safety and comfort. But the very vistas that hit the big screen in this global blockbuster are still there for visitors to experience some of their own African journey.
And as Kenya solidifies its position as East Africa’s film shoot location of choice, other productions may well follow suit. The success of SSMB29 might lead to a virtuous circle where growth in the film industry would underpin tourism, while improved tourist facilities and create more pull for international productions.
The result? Africa is the winner in a thousand ways – we see its remarkable beauty and help set the stage for sustainable economics that last well beyond just this one film.
