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.

The BMC has forfeited a security deposit of Rs 50,000 from Line Productions, Mumbai, citing alleged violations during the recent shooting of Dhurandhar 2 in the Fort area.

According to civic officials, the production house had initially applied online through the Maharashtra Film Stage and Cultural Development Corporation Limited, seeking permission to shoot on February 7 and 8. However, following inputs from police and traffic authorities on January 29, revised permissions were granted on January 30 for filming on Modi Street and Perin Nariman Street on January 30 and February 1, respectively.

Authorities alleged that the production team breached key conditions outlined in the police no-objection certificate (NOC). The NOC explicitly prohibited the use of fireworks and any flammable materials. Officials claimed that cooking gas cylinders and other flammable materials were used on the road during the shoot in a residential area.

“Despite these restrictions, flammable materials and gas cylinders were used extensively during the shoot. On February 1, when permission was granted only for Perin Nariman Street, the production team shot on Modi Street without authorization,” Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jaydeep More told Mirror.

More added, “Since the production house violated the key conditions, we forfeited Rs 25,000 for using a different location for the shoot and Rs 25,000 for using cooking gas cylinders at the shooting location. Thus, the Rs 50,000 deposit amount was forfeited. We have warned the production house that any future violations will result in strict action, including possible blacklisting.”

In a related communication to the Head of Business Development at Worli Engineering Complex, civic officials flagged gaps in the online permission process. They pointed out that the Maharashtra Film Stage and Cultural Development Corporation Limited’s portal does not have dedicated provisions for mandatory clearances from the Chief Medical Officer and the Mumbai Fire Brigade.

The BMC has urged the state government to introduce separate online tabs for these departments to ensure stricter scrutiny before granting shooting permissions. Officials also recommended reconsidering blanket permissions for the Fort area among the 18 designated shooting locations within municipal limits. Instead, they suggested limiting shoots to nonresidential and commercial zones to minimize safety risks in densely populated areas, particularly where flammable materials are involved.

The controversy escalated on February 1, when the cast and crew of Dhurandhar 2, including actor Sanjay Dutt, were present in Fort for the third day of their shooting schedule. Since January 30, portions of the heritage precinct had been transformed to resemble an old Pakistani street, with altered signboards and dressed up storefronts.

Dutt, dressed in a white pathani suit and holding what appeared to be a dummy pistol, was seen filming action sequences while a drone captured aerial shots. Officials said no permission had been granted for the use of dummy weapons, explosives, fire sequences, or drone operations in the high-security zone.

Authorities claimed that the depiction of cross-firing scenes and the use of prop firearms violated NOC conditions and raised safety concerns.

A source from the production house confirmed the forfeiture of the deposit and said Mumbai Police had seized the drone used during the shoot. “We were instructed to submit our day plan in writing regarding what we intend to shoot for the sequence, after which the NOC would be issued. We were told that after securing NOC, committing to one plan and shooting something else violates norms and conditions,” the source said.

An insider at Line Productions stated that Executive Producer Rahul Gandhi had requested a drone shot to obtain a top-angle view after the team was unable to secure access to rooftops in the area. “It was a single-take shot on February 1. The issue escalated, and an FIR was registered against our location manager,” the insider said.

The sequence, described as crucial to the film, had been pending amid the team’s busy schedule related to the release of Dhurandhar.