Sanjay Dutt in Agra
A mini fiasco broke out on the set of Sanjay Dutt-starrer Bhoomi in Agra last afternoon, for the second time in six days. Earlier this week, shoot had to be called off after locals gathered around the set for a glimpse of their screen idol and eventually, turned unruly. This time, however, the matter turned ugly. Dutt’s bodyguard allegedly beat up a mediaperson, leading to an FIR against him and the makers at the Tajpur police station.
Bhoomi producer Sandeep Singh said, “Earlier, this [fiasco] happened with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati in Jaipur and now it seems it’s our turn. For filmmakers, it’s becoming impossible to think of shooting anywhere except Maharashtra. We had been shooting here for 10 days and it was fairly smooth. But post this incident, we’ve got heavy security — 20 bouncers and 40 cops.”
Trouble erupted, Sandeep says, when a photographer started clicking pictures of a scene being played out. “Initially, the bouncers requested them to move away. When he didn’t, they covered his camera. The man took out his helmet and tripod, and hit a bouncer. That guy and our bouncer are both from Agra; a heated exchange ensued. Omung (Kumar, director), Aditi (Rao Hydari, actress) and I were sent back to the hotel. Sanjay had left an hour earlier.”
The mob then landed up at the hotel. “Baba [Dutt] went out and apologised to them. Later, we heard about the FIR. But, we haven’t got an official intimation about it yet.”
A copy of the FIR
The makers are now in two minds about continuing shoot in Agra. “The UP police have been supportive. We had a planned a start-to-finish schedule in Agra, but will have to shoot some bits in Mumbai. We plan to cut short the trip, but the final call on pack-up will be taken in a day or two. We have permission to shoot at Red Fort and Taj Mahal, so that has to be done.”
Sources claim the lensman was there to click pictures of the unruly crowd on VVIP road near Taj Mahal. When the crowd became unmanageable, security folk started hitting the man with sticks, causing severe injuries to his head and chest.
Later, Dutt held a press conference where he said, “I would have stopped it [the altercation] had I been there.
If people are angry, we will give them jaadoo ki jhappi.”
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