Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 4, 2015)

Ajay Bahl, who made his directorial debut in 2013 with the much talked about erotic drama, B.A. Pass, is ready with his next film: a passionate thriller.

The yet-untitled film is a dark crime drama set in the northern hinterland. "It's a burning love story between two star-crossed people who love each other to death, quite literally," says Ajay, the film's producer, director, writer and cinematographer.

It will be shot in Himachal Pradesh, near the Indo-China border. "Since snow is a key element in the plot, we roll this December," Ajay added.

Casting is underway. Prep will be complete by the end of the month. Prod him on whether his leading actress from B.A. Pass will make an appearance in this film too and he says, "No, Shilpa Shukla will not be a part of this one."

Mirror had earlier reported (August 1) that MA Pass, a film about a small town girl who moves to Mumbai to become an actress, is currently on the floors, being directed by Shadaab Khan and produced by Narendra Singh. Ajay is quick to point out that it is not a sequel of his critically acclaimed debut film. "Neither me nor my film B.A. Pass has anything to do with that film. MA Pass is not a sequel to B.A. Pass. I will start working on the sequel right after I finish shooting this film," Ajay reveals. 

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 25, 2014)

His directorial debut scored both critical acclaim and box-office success with its mix of sex and intrigue. And Ajay Bahl is continuing with the formula in the sequel to BA Pass.

Mirror had earlier reported that Bahl would be teaming up with his heroine Shilpa Shukla again for the film Hotel Grand. But the film has been put on the back burner for now as it requires a lot of pre-production.

Revealed a source, “Hotel Grand has a complex structure and needs at least three more months of work. For now, Bahl is ready with the script of BA Pass 2, which should go on the floors by September.”

Bahl confirmed the news saying, “We will have a fresh cast, but BA Pass 2 will be similar in spirit to the earlier film. I am currently doing the recce for the film in Rajasthan and Nainital. The film is likely to be set in one of these places.”

Bahl will be collaborating with Pawan Sony, who has previously written the indie drama, Sixteen. “Pawan has written a refreshing script. The space is the same – a noir thriller with erotic undercurrents. We’ll be done with the casting in a few weeks. The idea is to make a franchise out of BA Pass,” said the filmmaker.