For actor-director Ajay Devgn, it’s that frenetic final week before Bholaa releases next Friday. But even after the actioner hits the marquee, there will be little respite for the actor. Along with Bholaa co-star Tabu, he will soon kick off the second schedule of Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. The musical thriller is a mix of old and new associations for Devgn — while it marks his tenth film with Tabu, it is his maiden collaboration with filmmaker Neeraj Pandey. The two were to previously join forces on Chanakya, but the drama was subsequently put on the back-burner.

Instead, they have teamed up for a love story that is said to span 20 years, between 2002 and 2023. While Devgn and Tabu shot for the movie’s first schedule in February, the director is now conducting the second leg at Film City, Goregaon, with the supporting cast that includes Jimmy Sheirgill and Saiee Manjrekar. Producer Shreyans Hirawat, whose last offering was Freddy (2022), says that the leads will join the stint by the first week of April.

“Ajay ji is currently tied up with the release of Bholaa, and we will wait for him to re-join the shoot. We hope to complete the principal photography by mid-May, and plan to release the film around Diwali,” he shares.

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha will be largely shot across Mumbai and Lucknow. “We will have one overseas schedule,” says Hirawat, adding that the music will be composed by Oscar winner MM Keeravani.

As much as the producer enjoys collaborating with Devgn, he admits that the opportunity to back Pandey’s vision made him come on board. “What attracted us to this project is Neeraj Pandey, as [our production house] seeks to work with top directors. We have worked with Ajay ji before on Shivaay [2016], and share a great working relationship with him.”

A romantic musical thriller is quite a departure for Pandey, who has been the mind behind A Wednesday (2008), Baby (2015) and the series Special Ops. When probed about the subject, the producer is reluctant to spill the details, stating, “All I can say is that it is a romantic thriller. It has action, but [staying true to] a typical Neeraj Pandey film, it doesn’t have too much of it.”