MUMBAI MIRROR (April 25, 2018)

On Tuesday at 5 pm, a major fire gutted the Wai sets of the Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra-starrer Kesari. The unit, which has been filming extensive sequences in the area since last month, had been shooting a war scene for the Karan Johar production when the fire broke out. The sequence in progress featured shots of extras running amok after a series of bomb blasts, one of which was a mistimed explosion, leading to fire engulfing the entire set. “Luckily, everyone was rescued on time and there were no casualties. But the set, including equipment and cameras, has been completely destroyed,” a source from the site told Mirror.

Akshay, who has been taking the chopper from Mumbai to reach the location, which is situated in the Satara district, at 7 am every day, had already wrapped up his portions for the day and left. “Ten days of shooting for the film’s climax sequence is pending and now the makers are scouting for an alternate location where the war set can be rebuilt,” the source added.

Directed by Anurag Singh, the period-actioner is based on the 1897 battle of Saragarhi, which was fought between 21 Sikhs and 10,000 soldiers of the Afghan army. The film, which kicked off in January 2018, is expected to release in 2019 but shooting has temporarily been put on hold.
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Blast on location in Wai as elaborate war sequence goes horribly wrong, cast and crew of period drama escape unhurt
Mohar Basu and Chaitraly Deshmukh (MID-DAY; April 25, 2018)

Akshay Kumar has been shooting for Kesari, which is based on the 1987 Battle of Saragarhi, in Wai over the past four months. The unit of the period drama was in for a shock yesterday when a massive fire broke out on the location in the early evening.

A source says, “Anurag Singh [director] was filming a war sequence on location when one of the bombs, being used for the scene, exploded. Within a matter of seconds, the entire set was gutted. Most of the lighting equipment and cameras were lost in the fire. Fortunately, not a single person of the 100-member-strong unit was hurt.”

Kumar, who usually shoots through the day in Wai and flies back to Mumbai on his chartered chopper in the evenings, had left for the day around 3.30 pm. “None of the primary actors were required for the shoot. Akshay filmed his portions by late afternoon and then the director proceeded to can the war sequence with the additional artistes,” adds the source.

With the set now destroyed in the fire, the team has the challenge of recreating the Gulistan Fort — one of the key sites of the battle. “Since a 10-day shoot is yet to be covered, a new set will need to be recreated. Though it’s too early to say, the makers are now considering building the set in Film City in Mumbai.”

Confirming the news, the police officials of Satara said, “The fire department of Bhuinj and those of surrounding areas were alerted [about the incident]. By evening, the fire was brought under control.”