The actor is set to start shooting for his next film on Wednesday in Uzbekistan
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 8, 2019)

In April, it was announced that Vidyut Jammwal will feature in a romantic action-thriller, Khuda Hafiz, which will be directed by Faruk Kabir. After almost six months of prep, the film will go on the floors on Wednesday, October 9. “We begin with a start-to-finish schedule of around six weeks in Uzbekistan,” Vidyut informed Mirror before flying off, revealing that the crew is looking to explore Tashkent and Khiva for the shoot in the central Asian country. They will be filming in parts of India as well.

In a first for him, the actor travelled to Uzbekistan on a recce with the technical team last month. Why did he decide to go location hunting? “As actors, we get the opportunity to travel the globe for shoots, but barely do we spend time in the countries we visit. When a team is location hunting, they work closely with the local crew and comb through a city’s bylanes to get the perfect spot. You also get the opportunity to explore local flavours, culture and cuisine. For me, this is the only way to travel,” explained the actor, who later went on a solo road trip across Uzbekistan, covering 1500 km. “I like to explore places that aren’t on a tourist map,” he shared.

The actor further revealed that interactions with locals had polished his Russian and Uzbek, which would come in handy during the shoot. “I had learnt Russian earlier but believed that I had forgotten it. But since interacting with the locals, I realised that you never forget a language and it always helps break barriers when you are at a new place.”

Talking about the film, which is based on true events, Kumar Mangat, who is producing the film with son Abhishek Pathak, said, “I am excited to be venturing into the action romance space with Vidyut. It’s a new genre for me and I am looking forward to the shoot.”

On his role and the film’s premise, Vidyut confirmed, “Yes, the story is inspired by some real-life incidents as well as a popular urban legend. It’s an exciting space for me to venture into because for the first time I will feature in a true-blue action romance.”

The actor also promised that the audience will discover a new form of action, pointing out that newness alleviates the fatigue that can set in with relentless action films. “It’s my endeavour to keep breaking my mental barriers and challenging myself physically. I am inclined towards the unexpected, so I use this skill to create something new in action for every film. The action scenes are designed in collaboration with the director and action team and needs to be tailored to suit the character and the story,” he maintained. The film’s music is composed by Mithoon, whom Vidyut terms a “genius”.