Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 27, 2017)

Last week, National Award-winning filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia kicked off the first schedule of the third Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster film at Bikaner’s Laxmi Niwas Palace with a sequence featuring the royals, a scrumptious Rajasthani spread and a round of Russian roulette. The first sequence in the 30-day schedule was shot over the weekend on the lawns of the palace as well as inside the Hari Mahal and Swarna Mahal which dates back to 1904 and was home to King George V and Queen Mary.

“It’s extremely hot here. The ornate jewellery and designer outfits add to the heat. We have portable air-conditioners following the actors during the shoot,” informs producer Rahul Mittra, who is presenting the film with Raju Chadha. He reveals that there are two new additions to the cast. Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma, who host the culinary show, Highway On My Plate, will be making their Bollywood debut with Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3.

Around six years ago, Rahul had bumped into the duo at Delhi airport, soon after the release of the original romantic-thriller which the duo loved and joked that they’d love to be a part of the sequel. “They play themselves in the film, coming into the palace following an invitation by ‘gangster’ Sanjay Dutt’s parents, played by Kabir Bedi and Nafisa Ali, to explore the family’s royal heritage. As they are scrutinizing the hand=painted friezes and gilded walls, they are asked to join the royals for lunch as well and that’s when they learn about the family’s history with Russian roulette,” says Rahul, pointing out that the makers felt that they could use the garrulous TV hosts to introduce a crucial element in the story.

The sequence doubled up as a feast with everyone, except Sanjay, bingeing on local delicacies like dal bati churma, laal maas, ker sangria and gatte ki sabzi.

The sequence didn’t involve the 56-year-old actor who took off with wife Manyata to deliver a motivational speech at a corporate gathering of over 500 people, returnuing to the set on Monday morning for his first scene.

“Before he faced the camera, Sanju sat with the ladies — Nafisa, Chitrangda Singh, Mahie Gill and Kabir Bedi’s wife, Parveen Dusanj — and terrified them by insisting that the palace was haunted. He shared that he’d filmed in this ‘khandahar’ before and had been spooked. Being the ultimate prankster, he embellished his revelations with some hair-raising stories,” Rahul recounts with a laugh.

The film’s first instalment, in 2011, had featured Randeep Hooda as the ambitious gangster.

Two years later, Jimmy Sheirgill and Mahie returned to reprise their roles with Irrfan Khan as the new gangster out to sweep the new biwi, Soha Ali Khan, off her feet. “The third instalment continues with the story, picking up from where the previous film left off. Only it’s bigger, more majestic and dirtier when it come to royal politics,” Rahul asserts, adding that after a short break the second schedule will take off in Jodhpur.