Film production in Kolkata
Between June and December, usable daylight in Kolkata moves by 2h 44min — from 13h 30min down to 10h 46min. 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 Kolkata rises at 04:53 and sets at 18:23; the evening golden hour starts at 17:51 and runs for 32 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:09–16:55, with a 33-minute golden-hour window from 16:22.
For scheduling, that means the window for the one shot that lives on light runs between 30 and 33 minutes across the year. Put it last in the day and the first overrun takes it.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:20 | 17:13 | 10h 54min | 16:41 |
| February | 06:10 | 17:34 | 11h 24min | 17:03 |
| March | 05:47 | 17:46 | 12h 00min | 17:17 |
| April | 05:17 | 17:57 | 12h 40min | 17:27 |
| May | 04:57 | 18:10 | 13h 13min | 17:39 |
| June | 04:53 | 18:23 | 13h 30min | 17:51 |
| July | 05:01 | 18:25 | 13h 24min | 17:53 |
| August | 05:14 | 18:10 | 12h 56min | 17:39 |
| September | 05:24 | 17:42 | 12h 18min | 17:12 |
| October | 05:33 | 17:13 | 11h 39min | 16:43 |
| November | 05:50 | 16:54 | 11h 04min | 16:22 |
| December | 06:09 | 16:55 | 10h 46min | 16:22 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Kolkata starts at 18:38 in June and ends at 18:48 — a window of 10 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 17:10. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (17:46) and September (17:42) there are 4 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 Kolkata?
In June it starts at 17:51 and lasts 32 minutes; in December it starts at 16:22 and lasts 33 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Kolkata get?
Between 10h 46min in December and 13h 30min in June. The 2h 44min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Kolkata?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 13h 30min of usable light.