The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cracked down for the second time on film units linked to the Hindi commercial project “Dhurandhar: The Revenge”, escalating action over repeated violations of filming permissions and safety undertakings in South Mumbai. The latest action follows an earlier offence on February 1, when an FIR was registered over alleged unauthorised drone usage during the film’s shoot.

In the fresh instance, civic authorities have imposed a Rs 1 lakh penalty, recommended forfeiture of a Rs 25,000 security deposit, and initiated blacklisting proceedings against B26 Production House after officials alleged a breach of fire-safety conditions during a late-night sequence in Fort. The action comes amid heightened scrutiny of film shoots in heritage precincts, where safety undertakings are treated as binding conditions.

Officials said the repeat nature of violations – first involving a drone in a high-security zone and now the alleged use of fire effects despite written assurances to the contrary – prompted the civic body to move towards barring the production house from seeking future permissions.

Officials clarified that this marks the second enforcement action connected to the film’s shooting schedule. On February 1, an FIR was registered against Line Production Mumbai after a drone was allegedly flown without mandatory permissions in a sensitive, high-security zone. Police action in that case underscored concerns about compliance lapses despite the project having received conditional approval.

Following the FIR, a separate production entity – B26 Production House – sought fresh permission to continue shooting under revised safety assurances. Authorities now claim that the new production team also violated key conditions, triggering another round of civic intervention.

According to civic officials, the latest incident came to light on February 14 at around 12:30 am after a resident lodged a telephonic complaint expressing concern about possible fire hazards during a night shoot in the Fort area. An Assistant Engineer (Maintenance) reached the location at approximately 1:50 am and coordinated with the night-duty Police Inspector from MRA Marg Police Station to verify compliance, said Jaydeep More, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, A Ward.

Video footage circulated with Mumbai Mirror allegedly showed members of the production crew using fire torches while filming a sequence, contradicting the written undertaking submitted to authorities.

“During the inspection, multiple fire torches were found in use despite the applicants – Komal Pokhariyal and Nasir Khan – declaring that no fire-related effects would be deployed. Police seized five fire torches from the site, and the crew was instructed to immediately discontinue the use of fire equipment,” More stated.

Maintenance officials submitted a detailed report the same day, recommending stringent penal action against the applicants and B26 Production House. The proposal called for forfeiture of the Rs 25,000 security deposit lodged through the online permission platform, imposition of a Rs 1 lakh fine for breach of undertaking, and initiation of blacklisting proceedings that would bar the production house from seeking future filming permissions.

Civic officials noted that the repeated violations – first the alleged unauthorized drone usage and now the purported use of fire effects – weighed heavily in recommending strong measures. Authorities stressed that undertakings relating to fire safety are critical, particularly given the dense population and concentration of heritage structures in South Mumbai.

The Assistant Commissioner of A Ward has approved the maintenance department’s report and forwarded it to the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Zone I) for final clearance. Civic sources indicated that, once approval is granted – expected early next week – the penalty will be formally imposed, the security deposit forfeited, and the production house, along with the named applicants, may be barred from applying for future permissions.

Before the incident, authorities had granted conditional approval for a limited night shoot after the production team submitted fresh safety assurances. The application outlined a four-to-five-hour sequence with a reduced crew size and explicitly stated that no fire effects, explosives, drones or other hazardous activities would be used. Municipal and police departments issued clearances on the basis of these undertakings, warning that any breach would invite strict action, including blacklisting.

BMC officials emphasized that repeated violations have compelled the civic body to adopt a tougher stance on film shoots conducted in public and heritage precincts. Late-night filming, crowd management, noise control and fire safety remain key concerns, particularly after residents reported disruptions and potential safety risks during the ongoing production schedule.

Authorities added that the latest crackdown signals closer monitoring of film permissions across Mumbai, with enhanced coordination between civic departments and police to ensure strict compliance. Applicants with prior violations are likely to face heightened scrutiny and additional conditions before future approvals are granted.