Showing posts with label Ground Zero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ground Zero. Show all posts
Hamari koshish hai ki Jammu and Kashmir mein dobara filmein bane-Omar Abdullah
8:06 AM
During his recent visit to NFDC campus in Mumbai, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah spoke about reclaiming the Valley’s place as Bollywood’s one of the most-loved backdrop
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; January 29, 2026)
For Hindi cinema, Kashmir has long been synonymous with snowy peaks, chinar trees and shikaras . Recently, when Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) campus in Mumbai, he reminisced about a time when almost all Bollywood films shot at least one song sequence in Kashmir. “Uske bina film ko film nahi mana jata tha ,” he recalled.
Over the decades, films – especially song sequences – have been shot at scenic locations such as Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Gulmarg and the Baisaran Valley, a long-time favourite among filmmakers. However, last year, following the Pahalgam terror attack, film shoots came to a halt and now efforts are on to revive shoots and create infrastructure for film production in J&K.
Addressing the change, Abdullah said, “Pehle song sequences ki shooting zaroor Kashmir mein hua karti thi. Lekin haalat badal gaye. Aise halaat aaye ki wahan pe film banana hi naamumkin hua.”
‘To make J&K an attractive film destination, we need to develop infrastructure, human capital’
Talking about the plan ahead, he said, “Badalte haalat ke saath hamari koshish hai ki filmon ka jo Jammu Kashmir ke saath rishta tha, uss rishte ko hum dobara se bahaal karein. Lekin iss 20-30 saal ke arse mein film banane mein bhi bahut tabdili aayi hai. If you have to make a film where absolutely everything has to come from Mumbai, it becomes cost-wise prohibitive,” he added. “Therefore, if we want to make Jammu and Kashmir an attractive destination for film shoots, a certain amount of infrastructure and human capital has to be developed within the state.”
‘J&K ki film industry dobara kaayam ho aur apni kahaniyaan hum hi dohra sake, yeh koshish hai’
Emphasising on the revival of local cinema, Abdullah said, “Hamari koshish hai ki Jammu and Kashmir mein dobara filmein bane. Doosra, Jammu-Kashmir ka apna film industry dobara kaayam ho, kyunki hamari apni kahaniyaan jo hain, woh hum hi dohra sakte hain. Mumbai se koi aaye aur hamari kahani batana shuru kar de, woh utna hi galat hoga jitna main Mumbai ki kahani batana shuru kar doon.”
Post-2024 boost for film shoots in J&K
In recent years, films such as Ground Zero (2025) , Sam Bahadur (2023) and Laila Majnu (2018) have been shot in Pahalgam. The Jammu and Kashmir Film Policy 2024 aims to give filmmakers easier access to the region, opening up scenic areas closer to the Line of Control (LoC), including Gurez, Machil and Tangdhar, for the first time in several decades.
“A well-nurtured film industry can be a major source of wealth creation, employment generation, and an effective tool and platform for the preservation of culture and the expression of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” the policy states.
‘Over 80% of Ground Zero was shot in Kashmir, boosting its authenticity’
The beauty of Kashmir has served as the backdrop for classics such as Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) and Kabhi Kabhie (1976), as well as more recent films like Laila Majnu (2018).
Arhan Bagati, co-producer of Ground Zero, said during the film’s release, “Initially, many locations were being discussed for the movie. My reaction was, ‘Why not Kashmir?’ – because it is a film set in Kashmir. I thought the authentic way to do the film was by shooting in Kashmir and going to actual locations. We went to the locations where the encounter happened, for instance. That authenticity can’t be created with CGI. More than 80% of Ground Zero was shot in Kashmir. The administration was extremely helpful, the LG supported it, and the J&K Police was indispensable through the entire process – not just showing us where the actual encounter happened, but also in giving us access to the locations. All that together made it an authentic film.”
A lot of people told me ‘Aapki film mein koi masala nahin hai, koi heroism nahin hai’-Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar
3:16 PM
Mugdha Kapoor (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 17, 2025)
Director Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar, whose latest film Ground Zero released days after the terror attack in Pahalgam last month, recalls the turmoil he felt when he heard the news. “I have seen the Kashmir where [the attack] took place. We had a screening of the film in Srinagar, just three days before this incident. Mujhe dhakka laga,” he says.
Ask if he was worried about how this might affect the film’s performance and Tejas replies, “It wasn’t mentally and emotionally possible for us to even think about our film when we heard the news. The entire team was shaken. If I start thinking about whether this will benefit our film, I’ll be finished as a person.”
Starring Emraan Hashmi, Ground Zero tells the story of Border Security Force officer Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, who led a 2003 operation to track down Ghazi Baba, the terrorist behind the 2001 Parliament attacks.
Despite its theme, the film opened to mixed reviews and a tepid box-office response, collecting around Rs. 1 crore on opening day. “I do not take criticism as negative reviews. The audience gives unbiased reviews and I’ve only received positive messages from complete strangers,” the director reflects.
He does admit, however, “A lot of people told me ‘Aapki film mein koi masala nahin hai, koi heroism nahin hai’, but I take that as a compliment. Achcha hai na, I’m true to the subject. I wanted to make a realistic movie and not something ‘filmi’.”
If Lakshya released today, people would say ‘Bahut lambi film hai!’-Farhan Akhtar
10:06 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; May 14, 2025)
“When you have people who trust you with their lives, with the one opportunity to ell their story, you have to make sure that you do it in a manner that honours their trust,” says Farhan Akhtar, who told the story of the Kargil War in Lakshya and will soon be seen as Major Shaitan Singh in 120 Bahadur . In an interview with us, the actor-filmmaker spoke about the responsibility of portraying institutions like India’s Armed Forces with authenticity.
‘If Lakshya released today, people would say ‘Bahut lambi film hai!’
Farhan’s 2004 directorial Lakshya is often held up as a benchmark in the genre. Amid the rising tension between India and Pakistan, some scenes from the film have been going viral on social media. But Farhan feels that, considering the pace of films today, audiences would have found the film long. “Today, if I released Lakshya, which was almost three hours and 18 minutes long, people would be like – ‘Oh my God! Bahut lambi film hai.’ Back then, it didn’t feel that way. So those are the things you keep more in mind. The attention span of a viewer has changed in the last 25 years. They want things to move along a little bit quicker.”
‘I make sure people’s stories are told the way they want’
On playing a commanding officer in 120 Bahadur, Farhan says, “I’m playing one character who’s the leader and in charge of 120 other soldiers. Those 120 soldiers are equally as important because they fought the battle alongside.”
“So within that realm, this story was deeply appealing. Razneesh, the director of 120 Bahadur, is an army kid, his father served in the Army, his brother is still in the Army. He grew up hearing about Shaitan Singh and the Battle of Rezang La during the 1962 Indo-China war, and he’s always wanted to tell that story. I feel very fortunate to be part of it.”
‘WE ARE CONDENSING SOMEBODY’S LIFE INTO TWO AND A HALF HOURS; CAN’T VEER AWAY FROM FACTS’
Talking about Ground Zero, Farhan says, “As a producer, I was only invested in making sure that this script is told in the most effective way possible. The story is complete in itself – whatever we’ve taken and drawn from in the story is taken from his life and from the times that he served while he was in Kashmir. So, we haven’t tried to do anything extraordinary just for the sake of doing it. We’ve been very true to his story, on how he dealt with things, all that happened around him, the atmosphere of the valley.”
It’s the same sense of responsibility, he says, that he brought to Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, and now, 120 Bahadur, which is slated to release later this year. “My only concern or mission for films based on real people is to make sure that their stories are told the way they really want them to be told,” says Farhan.
The real challenge, he says, lies in writing. “We are condensing somebody’s life into two and a half hours. There may be events, emotions, or conversations that happened over six months, but you have to bring those into one scene. And you can’t veer away from it to a point where it becomes far removed from fact,” he adds.
‘I want to show you what these institutions are so that you can learn something about them’
For Farhan, depicting institutions like the Army and BSF and their stories accurately is paramount. He says, “You’re saying that this film is about an institution. This is the way this institution functions. Why would I want to change it in the film? In fact, I want to show you what that institution is so that you can learn something about it. The reason that Dubey ji (BSF officer on whose life Ground Zero is based) is the way he is, is because of certain training, certain discipline, certain protocol, a certain education. That’s what makes these people the character that they are.”
Stories like Ground Zero or 120 Bahadur , he says, are meant to hold space for those whose contributions might otherwise fade. “Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey ji accomplished something that created a pathway to a degree of peace in the valley that would not have happened for a decade. He should be remembered. Human beings move on; our memories are short. Amid all this, it’s nice to somehow find a way to remember somebody who’s done something constructive for society.”
Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Srinagar: The Kashmir you’ve mostly seen on screen
8:05 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; April 28, 2025)
For Bollywood, Kashmir has often meant snowy peaks, chinars, and shikaras. The scenic sites of Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Gulmarg are among the most frequently filmed locations in Indian cinema. Be it the likes of Roja to the recently released Ground Zero, the valley has been woven into our filmi narratives – often becoming a character in itself. Even this year, multiple productions were lined up for shoots in Pahalgam. However, in the wake of the recent terror attack in Baisaran, film shoots might be affected. We revisit the films that were shot in these scenic locales.
Talking about shooting in Kashmir, Sudhir Mishra, who shot his series Tanaav there, told us recently that people were really welcoming, “I just love Kashmiris. They are really compassionate people. The people in Kashmir are really warm, but they are also very sad, so you have to work with that rhythm. I tried to bring out the human aspect. After making Tanaav, I understand Kashmir better. I emotionally connected with Kashmir through the characters. When I direct, I have to feel the pain of the mother, the brother, the son. Conflict zones are complex.”
Speaking about films on Kashmir and how he managed to avoid controversies while making a series about the region, he says, “Most films about Kashmir are made by outsiders, and I don’t think many of them have a deep enough connection to the place in real ways. If your purpose is not to offend, and you approach things without bias – seeing things as they are – I don’t think anyone gets offended.”
‘Laila Majnu was filmed in Khilanmarg, Pahalgam, Srinagar’
The beauty of Kashmir was the backdrop for not only classics such as Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) and Kabhi Kabhie (1976), but the 2018 release Laila Majnu.
A staff member at a cinema in Srinagar says, “When we re-released Laila Majnu last year, it was houseful for months. The film has shown the culture and tradition of Kashmir. Kashmiri youngsters could relate to it, and they see the film as their own. It was shot in Nishat Bagh, Zero Bridge, Nigeen Lake, Khilanmarg and Pahalgam, and people from across Kashmir came to watch the film.”
‘More than 80% of Ground Zero was shot in Kashmir’
Arhan Bagati, co-producer of Ground Zero, shares, “Initially, many locations were being discussed for Ground Zero. My reaction was, ‘Why not Kashmir?’ Because it is a film set in Kashmir. I thought the authentic way to do the film was by shooting in Kashmir and going to actual locations. We went to the locations where the encounter happened. That authenticity can’t be created with CGI. More than 80% of Ground Zero was shot in Kashmir. The administration was extremely helpful, the LG supported it, and the J&K Police was indispensable through the entire process – not just showing us where the actual encounter happened, but also in giving us access to the locations.”
The valley through Indian cinema in the recent years
- In 2014, Fitoor was shot at Srinagar’s Dal Lake and Pahalgam
- In 2014, Alia Bhatt’s Highway was also shot in Pahalgam’s Aru Valley
- The qawwali scene of Bajrangi Bhaijaan was shot at Aishmuqam Shrine. The film’s end was shot in the Baisaran Valley
- Ground Zero was filmed across Kashmir
- Shah Rukh Khan’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan was shot in Betaab Valley, around the Lidder River, Aru Valley, and Baisaran. The Jiya Re sequence was filmed in and around Betaab Valley
- Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone shot segments of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) in Pahalgam
Gurez, Machil also open up for filming: J&K Film Policy 2024
In recent years, Ground Zero, Sam Bahadur, and Laila Majnu were all filmed in Pahalgam. The Jammu and Kashmir Film Policy 2024 aimed to give filmmakers easier access to the region. It opened up scenic areas closer to the Line of Control (LoC) including Gurez, Machil, and Tangdhar for the first time in several decades. “A well-nurtured film industry can be a major source of wealth creation, employment generation, and an effective tool and platform for the preservation of culture and the expression of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” it states.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 880
10:51 PM
WILL RAID 2 MANAGE TO CROSS THE RS. 100 CRORE MARK?
Last week wasn’t great as expected, in terms of box office. Ground Zero will not reach Rs. 10 crores while Phule will barely cross the Rs. 1 crore mark. However, Kesari Chapter 2 continued to be rock steady while Jaat also did well. And now all eyes are on the big release of the coming week, Raid 2.
As the name suggests, it is a sequel to Raid. This time, the protagonist, played by Ajay Devgn, will face Riteish Deshmukh. Vaani Kapoor is the female lead and she replaces Ileana DCruz. The trailer has been well-received and there’s a perception that here’s a film which will be something to watch out for. The song ‘Nasha’ featuring Tamannaah Bhatia has grabbed eyeballs and further added to the buzz.
The earlier part opened at Rs. 9.45 crores and ended up collecting Rs. 98.02 crores in its lifetime. Raid 2 releases on a Thursday to take advantage of the holidays in Maharashtra and Gujarat and a partial holiday in the rest of the country due to International Labour Day. The advance is decent and it can have an opening of Rs. 10 crores. If all goes well, it can even cross the Rs. 15 crore mark, but this will depend on the jump the film takes from noon onwards. The collections will dip as Friday is a normal working day. But the footfalls will see another jump on Saturday and Sunday. At this rate, the film will cross the Rs. 50 crore mark in its four-day weekend. Once that happens, entering the Rs. 100 crore mark shouldn’t be a problem, considering the limited competition from Hindi films until June 6.
The other release of the week is The Bhootnii. It is a horror comedy starring Sanjay Dutt, Mouni Roy, Sunny Singh and Palak Tiwari. The trailer hasn’t been appreciated and even the songs haven’t worked. The film has got a limited release, as a result. It’ll have some advantage tomorrow due to the holiday and genre.
However, a film that might spring a surprise is Thunderbolts. It belongs to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and this franchise hasn’t had a great run off late. But this film has generated a lot of excitement. The advances are decent and it can have an opening of Rs. 5-6 crores or even more. The target should be to cross the first-day earnings of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3. It earned Rs. 6.68 crores and like Thunderbolts, it was also critically acclaimed. That film managed to cross the Rs. 50 crores mark and that should also be the target of Thunderbolts.
Last week wasn’t great as expected, in terms of box office. Ground Zero will not reach Rs. 10 crores while Phule will barely cross the Rs. 1 crore mark. However, Kesari Chapter 2 continued to be rock steady while Jaat also did well. And now all eyes are on the big release of the coming week, Raid 2.
As the name suggests, it is a sequel to Raid. This time, the protagonist, played by Ajay Devgn, will face Riteish Deshmukh. Vaani Kapoor is the female lead and she replaces Ileana DCruz. The trailer has been well-received and there’s a perception that here’s a film which will be something to watch out for. The song ‘Nasha’ featuring Tamannaah Bhatia has grabbed eyeballs and further added to the buzz.
The earlier part opened at Rs. 9.45 crores and ended up collecting Rs. 98.02 crores in its lifetime. Raid 2 releases on a Thursday to take advantage of the holidays in Maharashtra and Gujarat and a partial holiday in the rest of the country due to International Labour Day. The advance is decent and it can have an opening of Rs. 10 crores. If all goes well, it can even cross the Rs. 15 crore mark, but this will depend on the jump the film takes from noon onwards. The collections will dip as Friday is a normal working day. But the footfalls will see another jump on Saturday and Sunday. At this rate, the film will cross the Rs. 50 crore mark in its four-day weekend. Once that happens, entering the Rs. 100 crore mark shouldn’t be a problem, considering the limited competition from Hindi films until June 6.
The other release of the week is The Bhootnii. It is a horror comedy starring Sanjay Dutt, Mouni Roy, Sunny Singh and Palak Tiwari. The trailer hasn’t been appreciated and even the songs haven’t worked. The film has got a limited release, as a result. It’ll have some advantage tomorrow due to the holiday and genre.
However, a film that might spring a surprise is Thunderbolts. It belongs to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and this franchise hasn’t had a great run off late. But this film has generated a lot of excitement. The advances are decent and it can have an opening of Rs. 5-6 crores or even more. The target should be to cross the first-day earnings of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3. It earned Rs. 6.68 crores and like Thunderbolts, it was also critically acclaimed. That film managed to cross the Rs. 50 crores mark and that should also be the target of Thunderbolts.
(Crisp) Movie Review: GROUND ZERO by FENIL SETA
12:20 PM
Ground Zero is inspired by the real-life account of how a brave soldier nabbed a very dangerous terrorist. The film has a no-nonsense approach; the focus is on the story. There's no room for jingoism and it tries to be as authentic as possible. The track of the protagonist's friendship with a local is heartening. The climax is nail-biting and the film ends on a clapworthy note. On the flipside, the interest level drops in between as the film gets slow. It also gives one a déjà vu of films Uri, Article 370 and also Zero Dark Thirty. As a result, one gets a been-there-done-that feeling. Emraan Hashmi delivers a stupendous performance. Mir Mehrooz (Husain) has a crucial role and is quite impactful. Sai Tamhankar (Jaya) and Zoya Hussain (Aadila) are fair in supporting roles. Ekluvya (Chand Khan), Rockey Raina (Ghazi Baba), Qazi Faiz (Hakeem, Mukesh Tiwari (Sanjiv Sharma), Rahul Vohra (IB Chief), Deepak Parmesh (Binu Ramachandra), Hanan (Ahmed) and Lalit Prabhakar (Praveen) lend able support. Ram Avatar (PM Vajpayee) looks ditto like the former Prime Minister. All in all, Ground Zero is a decent one-time watch film.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 879
10:44 AM
KESARI CHAPTER 2 TRENDS WELL; JAAT SUSTAINS; WILL GROUND ZERO MAKE A MARK?
The last two major releases of Bollywood are not huge Rs. 100 crore grossers. But at the same time, they have been steady at the box office.
Kesari Chapter 2, as expected, opened at Rs. 7.50 crores. The opening was a bit below par, as it was a Good Friday holiday. Usually, the day after Saturday doesn’t see a huge jump. But Kesari Chapter 2 took a while to make noise. Hence, it jumped to Rs. 10 crores on Saturday and Rs. 11.50 crores on Sunday. On Monday, it collected Rs. 4.35 crores. With the cheap ticket offer on Tuesday, the earnings jumped to Rs. 4.85 crores.
Kesari Chapter 2 will collect around Rs. 45 crores in its first week. The target of the film will be to collect Rs. 80-90 crores in its lifetime. The cost, however, is too high. On the plus side, it is the best-performing film of Akshay Kumar in a very long time. The actor suffered a lull but he’s now all set to bounce back with a bang as his upcoming films also seem exciting.
Jaat collected Rs. 59.60 crores in Week 1 and its second-week performance is a bit below expectations. Until Tuesday, it collected Rs. 15.50 crores in the second week. It should have ideally collected Rs. 20 crores. But though Kesari Chapter 2 targets a different set of audiences, the Sunny Deol starrer was affected by the presence of a new release.
Jaat has collected Rs. 75.10 crores until Tuesday and it’ll collect Rs. 78 crores by the end of the second week. It’ll be interesting to see which film manages to earn more out of the two – Kesari Chapter 2 or Jaat.
This week’s big release is Ground Zero, starring Emraan Hashmi. It is inspired by real-life accounts of a man who eliminated the terrorist who was responsible for the 2001 Parliament Attack. The film is majorly set in Kashmir. In fact, the timing is significant as it releases three days after the shocking attack on tourists in Pahalgam.
The buzz for Ground Zero is very limited and hence, an opening of Rs. 1-2 crores is expected. If word of mouth is positive, it can see a huge jump, which will ultimately benefit the film in the long run.
The other major release of the week is Phule. It stars Pratik Gandhi as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Patralekhaa as Savitribai Phule. The film has been in the news after the Censor Board deleted certain words. A large section of netizens found it unjustified and it led to a lot of brouhaha.
Sadly, though this controversy has enhanced the awareness of the film, it hasn’t excited the audience to book tickets. Hence, the first-day numbers will be dismal.
Lastly, Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins will premiere on Netflix. It is sure to grab eyeballs due to its mass appeal and casting – Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Nikita Dutta and Kunal Kapoor.
The last two major releases of Bollywood are not huge Rs. 100 crore grossers. But at the same time, they have been steady at the box office.
Kesari Chapter 2, as expected, opened at Rs. 7.50 crores. The opening was a bit below par, as it was a Good Friday holiday. Usually, the day after Saturday doesn’t see a huge jump. But Kesari Chapter 2 took a while to make noise. Hence, it jumped to Rs. 10 crores on Saturday and Rs. 11.50 crores on Sunday. On Monday, it collected Rs. 4.35 crores. With the cheap ticket offer on Tuesday, the earnings jumped to Rs. 4.85 crores.
Kesari Chapter 2 will collect around Rs. 45 crores in its first week. The target of the film will be to collect Rs. 80-90 crores in its lifetime. The cost, however, is too high. On the plus side, it is the best-performing film of Akshay Kumar in a very long time. The actor suffered a lull but he’s now all set to bounce back with a bang as his upcoming films also seem exciting.
Jaat collected Rs. 59.60 crores in Week 1 and its second-week performance is a bit below expectations. Until Tuesday, it collected Rs. 15.50 crores in the second week. It should have ideally collected Rs. 20 crores. But though Kesari Chapter 2 targets a different set of audiences, the Sunny Deol starrer was affected by the presence of a new release.
Jaat has collected Rs. 75.10 crores until Tuesday and it’ll collect Rs. 78 crores by the end of the second week. It’ll be interesting to see which film manages to earn more out of the two – Kesari Chapter 2 or Jaat.
This week’s big release is Ground Zero, starring Emraan Hashmi. It is inspired by real-life accounts of a man who eliminated the terrorist who was responsible for the 2001 Parliament Attack. The film is majorly set in Kashmir. In fact, the timing is significant as it releases three days after the shocking attack on tourists in Pahalgam.
The buzz for Ground Zero is very limited and hence, an opening of Rs. 1-2 crores is expected. If word of mouth is positive, it can see a huge jump, which will ultimately benefit the film in the long run.
The other major release of the week is Phule. It stars Pratik Gandhi as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Patralekhaa as Savitribai Phule. The film has been in the news after the Censor Board deleted certain words. A large section of netizens found it unjustified and it led to a lot of brouhaha.
Sadly, though this controversy has enhanced the awareness of the film, it hasn’t excited the audience to book tickets. Hence, the first-day numbers will be dismal.
Lastly, Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins will premiere on Netflix. It is sure to grab eyeballs due to its mass appeal and casting – Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Nikita Dutta and Kunal Kapoor.
I’m the only one to have two films releasing in different languages-Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar
8:53 AM
Bringing both his films Ground Zero and Devmanus to theatres on April 25, director Tejas Deoskar on attempting a distinct genre with each and juggling their post-production
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 12, 2025)
Every director will tell you about the Friday jitters they experience when their movie is releasing. One can only imagine the pressure and excitement that director Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar will feel when his two movies, Ground Zero and Devmanus, hit the theatres on April 25. “Somebody told me that before this, only Priyadarshan sir had two films releasing on the same day. I’m the only one to have two films releasing in different languages,” grins Deoskar.
Language isn’t the only factor separating the Hindi offering, Ground Zero, and Mahesh Manjrekar’s Marathi outing Devmanus. Inspired by real-life events, the Emraan Hashmi-starrer chronicles the aftermath of the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.
Deoskar explains, “Ground Zero is an intense action drama based on BSF Commandant Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey’s life and real events. Emraan plays him, and is seen [on the hunt] for a terrorist. Devmanus is an emotional thriller, where a man—played by Manjrekar—finds himself in a moral dilemma. I was initially apprehensive about both my movies releasing on the same day. I feel the audience gets divided, especially since the Marathi audience is a subset of the Hindi one. But the two production houses felt that both films had different viewers. They didn’t see it as a clash. The only thing I had to figure out was to run around for the films’ post-production, which was tough.”
While shooting each movie came with its challenges, the director believes Ground Zero was the more demanding one. “It was a tougher one to execute as action films are demanding. Plus, we were shooting in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, and the region has certain complexities.” Having an earnest actor like Hashmi helped matters.
“Emraan is a director’s delight. He asks a lot of questions related to his character and the story, and comes on the set having done a lot of homework. So, we’re halfway through when we start. Also, he has an uncanny memory,” shares Deoskar.
Working on Devmanus was a unique experience as actors Manjrekar, Renuka Shahane and Subodh Bhave are also directors in their own right. Deoskar reflects, “While there were four directors, including me, on the set, nobody overpowered me. There was mutual respect. We could collaborate, discuss their suggestions, and do what was best for the film.”
Sai Tamhankar, Emraan Hashmi unite for Ground Zero
8:26 AM
Preeti Atulkar (BOMBAY TIMES; September 21, 2022)
Sai Tamhankar is on a roll. After picking up awards for her performance in Mimi, the actress is set to be seen in multiple Hindi films in the near future. We have learnt that Sai has been paired opposite Emraan Hashmi in an upcoming film titled Ground Zero.
Tejas Deoskar, whose last release was the Marathi film Bucket List, is directing the film and Emraan reportedly plays an army officer in the film that also stars Zoya Hussain and Deepak Paramesh.
According to a source Sai is playing Emraan's wife in the film. “The two got along well during the preparation of the movie. They share amazing chemistry,” says the source.
Reportedly, the film also features Lalit Prabhakar, who was recently seen opposite Sai in the Marathi film Medium Spicy.
The film's team is currently shooting in Pahalgam, after wrapping up a schedule in Srinagar.
Pahlaj Nihalani's next titled Ground Zero; talks about student politics
7:49 AM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; January 13, 2018)
After his sanskari act all through his tenure as the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), it didn’t take long for Pahlaj Nihalani to do a volte-face post his exit and present the erotica Julie 2 last year. The dismal performance of Julie 2 behind him, Nihalani seems to be changing tracks for his next. The filmmaker is set to helm a gritty film on student politics, titled Ground Zero.
Nihalani tells mid-day, “Ground Zero focuses on what is going on in the country today. It revolves around the youth politics and student power — the core is young India.”
The former Censor Board chief informs that the cast will be a mix of established stars and fresh faces. “We start shooting in Delhi from February in a start-to-finish schedule. In all likelihood, I will be directing it.”
One wonders how Nihalani, who predominantly made masala potboilers, has switched gears to make an issue-based film. “You have to go with the times,” he reasons, before adding, “It’s not based on any real-life story, but what is happening in the country today.”
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