'Pralay' row: Hansal Mehta calls Mumbai 'unfriendly' for shoots
What's the story
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has defended the shooting of his upcoming film Pralay at Mumbai's Azad Maidan, after the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) objected to it. The MCA claimed that the six-hour shoot forced them to postpone inter-school cricket matches. They questioned why a ground used by young cricketers was made available for a commercial film shoot.
Permissions secured
'Mumbai is the home of Indian cinema'
Mehta told Hindustan Times, "Our shoot at Azad Maidan was fully permitted."
"We have requisite permission letters from police departments, sports departments, including an acknowledgement of the same from MCA."
"Mumbai is the home of Indian cinema. It has also become a most unfriendly city to shoot in," he added.
"If Mumbai wants to remain the center of this industry, it has to stop treating its own filmmakers as a nuisance."
Filmmaker's frustration
'You are treated as if you are trespassing'
Mehta further expressed his frustration, saying, "A single location needs clearances from multiple departments, each with its own process, its own delays, and its own power to stop a shoot."
"Even when you have every permission, you're treated as if you are trespassing."
He also added that other states welcome crews because "they understand that a shoot brings jobs, business, and visibility."
"I say this with much sadness...this is why so many of us now prefer to shoot outside Mumbai."
MCA's objection
Here's why the MCA objected
The MCA wrote to the Maharashtra government's Sports Department, seeking an explanation for allowing the movie shoot at Azad Maidan.
Despite being responsible for maintaining the ground and its cricket pitches, they said they were not consulted about the permission.
MCA Apex Council member Nadim Memon said large sets were erected and artificial grass was laid for Pralay.
He said, "Our ongoing tournaments were disrupted because of the shoot."
Film details
More about 'Pralay'
Pralay, a survival thriller directed by Jai Mehta, is set in a post-apocalyptic Mumbai where a zombie outbreak has left the city in chaos.
The film features Ranveer Singh and Kalyani Priyadarshan in lead roles.
It is being produced under Singh's banner, Maa Kasam Films, in association with Birla Studios and True Story Films.