On Friday, mid-day reported that the Maidaan set, built at Madh Island, was among the many properties destroyed by Cyclone Tauktae (The ruined playing field, May 21). This comes as a severe blow to producer Boney Kapoor who has spared no expense for the ambitious Ajay Devgn-led sports drama. Only months after the film went on floors in August 2019, the producer zeroed in on a 16-acre plot in Madh Island, where a huge makeshift stadium was built to shoot the football matches.

A unit member recounts that the set was first dismantled in May 2020 in the wake of the first lockdown. “After things improved, we rebuilt it in November 2020. The unit resumed work on February 14 this year at a Powai studio, and went on to shoot four crucial football matches at the Madh Island set-up. But the filming was stalled soon after due to the junta curfew,” says the source.

The multi-crore makeshift stadium was retained in the hope that director Amit Ravindernath Sharma would shoot the remaining matches at the venue as soon as the restrictions were eased. Hardly had anybody anticipated a cyclone that would leave the site — comprising eight make-up rooms, a hall for junior artistes, a standalone room for production control and 26 toilets — ravaged. The source adds, “Boney has suffered serious losses. Almost 80 per cent of the site is damaged. About 10 days of landscaping will be required to revamp the ground, but the surrounding areas will take more time. The monsoon will pose another problem. The set will have to be recreated by September so that the pending four matches can be wrapped up.”

Though devastated, Kapoor is grateful that those present on the premises were not hurt. “We had a team of curators, staff members and security at the venue. Thankfully, nothing happened to them,” says the producer, before taking stock of the damage to property. “I will have to build the set for the third time. It took us six months to construct it the first time, and a couple of months to rebuild it last year. Hopefully, this time, we’ll reconstruct it in one-and-a-half months.” The film is eyeing an October release.

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Even before the entertainment industry could recover from the blow dealt by the Covid-19 last year, came its second wave. And now, cylcone Tauktae. While it hit the western coast hard, particularly hit has been the set of Ajay Devgn-starrer Maidaan. Recently rebuilt by producer Boney Kapoor after it was dismantled last year, it will have to be rebuilt again

“Now, I will have to construct the set for the third time as due to the cyclone 70-80% of the set has been destroyed,” says Kapoor, adding, “What I am going through is horrible. I don’t want to be reminded of it. If I think about the pressure or feelings or loss, I will start crying. If I think about the budget overshooting and expenses piling up, I might go into depression. Mera dil hi nahin kar raha ke set dekhun abhi. All I know and I am doing is staying positive and thinking positive. Thank God, there was no casualty and no one was injured. Luckily all 40-50 people who were on the set were fine. It would have been worse had anything happened to anyone.”

When they built the set this year, they were able to shoot 50% of the matches for the film. Then the lockdown was announced and shoots were halted. Now, shoot for 20 odd days is left and it needs particular sets to shoot the matches. “Last year, when we dismantled, materials could be reused. But after destruction in a cyclone, hardly anything is salvageable. I had eight makeup rooms, 26 bathrooms, different sets, but most of it is gone. We had an eight-camera setup and specialised equipment to capture players while playing,” he shares.

As several films are stuck due to theatres being shut, Kapoor says he can understand what producers are going through. “Someone’s pain is bigger than others but we are all affected. Everyone is going through this painful journey. I might be the most affected person in the industry right now. It is not just about many projects of mine facing delay in release but also having to put up a set for the third time. Imagine that! I am a theatre person and will release my films in theatres. I am waiting for them to open,” ends the 65-year-old.