Penang Hill and other parts of the state have been chosen as a location for an international drama series which will begin being filmed on Monday, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.

Lim said the two companies which are involved in the filming for the series ‘Indian Summers’ are UK’s New Productions Ltd and local company Biscuit Films Sdn Bhd.

“The companies’ decision to film in Penang was made after an extensive global search was carried out for suitable locations,” Lim said at a press conference in Komtar today.

“Among the sites considered were the Indian sub-continent and the Far East,” he added.

“This serves to demonstrate Penang’s unique international appeal not only as a Unesco World Heritage site but also for her beautiful heritage structures and natural wonders,” he stressed.

Accompanying Lim at the press event was Charlie Pattinson, who is New Pictures chief executive and executive producer of the series ‘Indian Summers’.

Lim signed an agreement with Pattinson and Penang Development Corporation to lease Crag Hotel, build in the late 1800s, and the Woodside Bungalow, which are two significant locations to be filmed on Penang Hill.

Lim said other traditional buildings in and around George Town like the Suffold House, Town Hall, Botanical Garden and State Museum will also be used.

Apart from showcasing the dramatic colonial heritage in the island, Lim said the production of the mini-series will result in the restoration of certain heritage buildings to their former glory.

“The state government stands to receive rental proceeds of RM650,000 for filming at the Crag Hotel from end of this month to Dec 31, next year,” he said.

“We will also receive RM120,000 on a yearly basis for filming at the Woodside Bangalow beginning from the end of April for a period of five years,” he added.

“In addition to the rental proceeds, it is estimated that the potential inflow from this filming project stands at RM50 million,” he said.

“There would also be employment opportunities for Penangites in terms of engagement of local contractors, suppliers and even budding actors,” he stressed.

Major series by Channel 4 and Masterpiece

Pattinson said that ‘Indian Summers’ is a major TV series by Channel 4 in the UK and Masterpiece in the USA, who are the makers of ‘Downton Abbey’.

“We will start shooting on Monday with a fully integrated British and Malaysian cast and crew and we will be shooting until the end of October,” Pattinson said.

“Why are we shooting a show set in India in Penang? Unlike Simla, Penang Hill has been beautifully preserved,” he added.

“George Town is rich with historic buildings and the island is somewhere I felt confident that a large international cast and crew could happily spend a year of their lives,” he added.

The series will be sold by All3 Media and shown on TV sets around the world, he added.

‘Indian Summers’ tells the story of the final years of British colonial rule in India.

A personal saga charting the lives and loves of two families - one British and the other Indian - as independence approaches, it is set in Simla in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas and will chart the dying days of the British Raj from 1932 to 1947 over 50 episodes.