Film production in Chennai
Between June and December, usable daylight in Chennai moves by 1h 31min — from 12h 53min down to 11h 22min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Chennai rises at 05:43 and sets at 18:37; the evening golden hour starts at 18:06 and runs for 31 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:24–17:46, with a 31-minute golden-hour window from 17:15.
In practice, a spread of 1h 31min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:36 | 18:02 | 11h 26min | 17:31 |
| February | 06:33 | 18:15 | 11h 43min | 17:47 |
| March | 06:18 | 18:20 | 12h 03min | 17:52 |
| April | 05:57 | 18:22 | 12h 25min | 17:54 |
| May | 05:44 | 18:28 | 12h 44min | 17:58 |
| June | 05:43 | 18:37 | 12h 53min | 18:06 |
| July | 05:51 | 18:40 | 12h 50min | 18:10 |
| August | 05:57 | 18:31 | 12h 34min | 18:02 |
| September | 05:59 | 18:12 | 12h 13min | 17:44 |
| October | 06:00 | 17:51 | 11h 51min | 17:23 |
| November | 06:08 | 17:40 | 11h 32min | 17:10 |
| December | 06:24 | 17:46 | 11h 22min | 17:15 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Chennai starts at 18:51 in June and ends at 19:00 — a window of 9 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 18:00. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:20) and September (18:12) there are 8 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Chennai?
In June it starts at 18:06 and lasts 31 minutes; in December it starts at 17:15 and lasts 31 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Chennai get?
Between 11h 22min in December and 12h 53min in June. The 1h 31min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Chennai?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 12h 53min of usable light.