French actor Gerard Depardieu, who recently became a Russian citizen, shoots an action movie in Chechnya.

GROZNY, REPUBLIC OF CHECHNYA, RUSSIA (JUNE 3, 2013) (REUTERS) -  French actor Gerard Depardieu, who recently became a Russian citizen, chose the capital of Chechnya to shoot his new action film.

"Turquoise" is a Russian thriller set in Moscow and Grozny, where Depardieu stars with British actress Elizabeth Hurley.

The night scenes that were being shot in Grozny have numerous gun fights and car chases, but the film crew and Depardieu himself look quite cheerful.

During a short break, film producer Arnaud Frilley said that Depardieu is in a great shape and lost 25 kilograms for the film.

"Gerard is in an exceptional physical form, he lost 25 kilos, he's exercising every morning, he's drinking mineral water all day long," he said.

Depardieu, talking with the other actors and the film crew during the break, said thatGrozny had welcomed them well.

"We are very well in Grozny. Everybody's smiling. Girls are beautiful. Food is yummy. Ayoub (film crew member) is the President here," Depardieu said laughing.

The actor first came to Chechnya to celebrate Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's birthday last year. He quit France after criticizing a planned 75-percent tax on millionaires, and soon after received a hug and a passport from President Vladimir Putin and heaped praise on the Russian leader - earning criticism from opposition and rights campaigners.

After Depardieu was presented with his Russian passport, Kadyrov invited Depardieu to live in Chechnya.

Jean-Claude Lagniez, Depardieu's stunt double, said that the French made too much fuss about the actor's departure from France.

"It's obvious that he gave up with France. But they have made so much noise around him when there are so many other very famous people who have left (France)… They went abroad and nobody said anything to them. So let's be fair," he said.

The actor, known for starring in movies such as 'Green Card' and 'Cyrano de Bergerac', has already appeared in an advertising campaign for ketchup in Russiaand a film about so-called mad monk Grigory Rasputin.