Sooraj Barjatya has plunged straight into his next directorial venture with Ayushmann Khurrana — and he is wasting no time. The film, originally titled Prem Ki Shaadi, is now called Yeh Prem Mol Liya. It went on floors on November 1, and the team has already wrapped a week-long song shoot in Kandivli. The cast and crew will now begin a 60-day start-to-finish schedule.

The next leg, beginning this week at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai, is designed to film most of the drama and family sequences, according to sources from the production house. Intricately detailed indoor sets have been constructed across three floors of the studio.

“The team plans to wrap up the shoot by January 2026. Almost 80 per cent of the film will be completed in Mehboob, with a few outdoor patch portions. The idea is to maintain the creative continuity and shoot the emotional graph of the story in one flow,” reveals a crew member.

The first song, filmed over seven days, featured the lead cast, a large ensemble, and 200 background dancers. “The song was choreographed in true Barjatya fashion. It sets the tone for the film’s world and introduces the leads in a big, joyous way,” says an insider from the unit.

Led by Khurrana, Yeh Prem Mol Liya features Sharvari as the leading lady, with Anupam Kher, Seema Pahwa, and Supriya Pathak in pivotal roles. Unlike his previous films, Barjatya is said to be exploring a more contemporary take on love and relationships with this romantic family drama.

After months of preparation, Battle Of Galwan, Salman Khan’s next project — based on the chapter about Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu in Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh’s book India’s Most Fearless 3 (2022) — is finally ready to go on floors.

The actor will begin filming in the first week of August at Mumbai’s Mehboob Studio. A source close to the production reveals that the design team is currently building a set, which will be ready by the end of the month. The shoot will continue for 10 to 12 days, after which the team will shift base to Ladakh.

“The Mehboob Studio schedule is crucial as [the team] has to shoot some of the early character-building moments there before the team heads to Ladakh for the high-octane action. The art and production design team has been working round the clock to recreate the textures inside the studio. It’s a detailed set that will add authenticity to the story,” informs the source. Khan will join the cast and crew from day one.

A unit insider adds, “The Ladakh schedule will be intense as it involves combat training, night shoots, and simulated battle scenes. Salman has been in prep mode for the role since May.”

He recently wrapped the promotional shoot and look tests for the film, just days before unveiling its first look.

In June, mid-day reported that Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Siddharth Anand were conducting a crucial schedule of King at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, Mumbai, from May 21 (Locked up, charged up, June 17). Now, we’ve heard that the unit has taken a break before it charges ahead for an extensive Europe schedule in the last week of August.

The next leg of the spy thriller, which reportedly sees Shah Rukh play mentor to Suhana Khan as they lock horns with Abhishek Bachchan’s antagonist, will take them across European countries.

A source says, “Locations are currently being locked. The shortlisted cities include Budapest, Prague, and possibly Berlin, where sleek chase sequences will unfold. Siddharth wants these sequences to be stunning, and has apparently told his team to scout for some never-before-seen locales.”

Meanwhile, even as the cast and crew are on a break, a few indoor crowd scenes will be shot on controlled sets in the next few weeks. The source adds, “These will be quick, smaller-unit shoots aimed at filling plot gaps without requiring the full crew’s return.”

Shah Rukh, who is also producing King, is said to be deeply involved in its VFX. The film also stars Rani Mukerji and Deepika Padukone.

When Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Siddharth Anand are teaming up, an ambitious action sequence is a given. Less than a month after King — which unites the superstar on screen with daughter Suhana Khan, in her big-screen debut — went on floors, the actor has apparently begun filming an action set-piece. What are Shah Rukh and Anand offering this time, after giving us some memorable fight sequences in Pathaan (2023)? A jail sequence, we’ve heard.

Sources tell us that on Monday, Shah Rukh kicked off the action portions at Mehboob Studios, Bandra, where the unit will shoot until June 21.

A source revealed, “The scene is set in a foreign jail, where the protagonist takes on a gang of baddies. Since it forms a critical part of the narrative, Siddharth has flown in three international stunt experts to design the scene. On June 15, the crowd portions were canned with nearly 200 stunt performers.”

With Pathaan and Jawan (2023) behind him, Shah Rukh is not a stranger to action. The actor, who reportedly plays an assassin in the thriller, underwent weeks-long training before reporting to the shoot. “The stunts are unlike what he did in Jawan and Pathaan. Siddharth wants to present him in a raw avatar,” added the source.

Abhishek Bachchan, who plays the antagonist, is not part of this stint.

How do you follow up Pushpa 2: The Rule’s (2024) thunderous success? By collaborating with a director who has a blockbuster on his résumé, believes Allu Arjun. The actor has begun work on his next with Atlee, the mind behind Jawan (2023). mid-day has learnt that on Sunday, the actor-director duo conducted a look test and concept photoshoot at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, Mumbai, thus setting the stage for their pan-India film that was announced earlier this month.

Sources close to the project reveal that the look test kicked off at 1 pm. “They tried multiple styles and looks for Arjun’s character—from rugged to sleek. With the Pushpa franchise, he has created a strong image. Atlee wants to present him in a new avatar, far removed from how he was shown in the blockbuster. Arjun is known to be hands-on, and he was very involved in the look tests,” shares a crew member.

While details regarding the film have been kept under wraps, rumours suggest it will be a high-concept action drama.

The source adds, “The concept photoshoot happened as well. Some 12-year-olds were brought to be shortlisted for an important aspect of the look test.”

If things go as planned, the project will roll by June-end. The title and cast will be announced soon.

Over the weekend, Shah Rukh Khan was spotted at Mehboob Studio in Bandra, sparking speculation that he was conducting a look test for his upcoming project. However, a bit of digging revealed that the superstar was, in fact, shooting an advertisement for a popular cookie brand. The brand commercial was helmed by Shoojit Sircar.

A picture from the set, which made its way online, showed Khan wearing an apron and standing in a kitchen. An insider from the production team says, “Shah Rukh’s look was so distinct that people assumed it was a look test. It led to rumours about him fronting Shoojit’s next feature film. But the two actually teamed up for a cookie commercial. The ad has a slice-of-life appeal.”

The shoot reportedly began on Friday afternoon and was wrapped up late at night. Khan and Sircar, who have known each other since their Delhi days, enjoyed the collaboration. “Even after filming his portions, Shah Rukh was fully involved, discussing minute details with Shoojit to perfect the scenes. He brought his usual charm. The campaign will air in two weeks,” added the insider.

With Uunchai, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya has fulfilled his long-cherished wish of collaborating with megastar Amitabh Bachchan. The actor-director duo — along with cast members Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Sarika, Boman Irani, Nafisa Ali and Parineeti Chopra — began filming the friendship saga late last year, with a chunk shot in Nepal.

We hear the film has almost reached the finish line, save for a song and patch shoot that will be conducted in Mumbai from tomorrow.

A source tells us that a set has been put up at Mehboob Studios in Bandra. “The studio has been booked for three days. Beginning tomorrow, Sooraj will first shoot a song that will see most of the cast, including Parineeti and Danny Denzongpa who have pivotal roles, come together. The filmmaker will also complete the patch shoot, following which it will be a wrap on the movie. He will then dive into post-production to meet the November 11 release date,” says the source.

In early August, Bachchan had shared the film’s first look that saw Kher, Irani and his characters trekking on a snow-capped mountain.

Rohit Shetty, who recently returned from South Africa after filming Khatron Ke Khiladi 12, has immediately dived headlong into the world of Cirkus. We hear leading man Ranveer Singh has retraced his steps to the set of the comedy to shoot an additional sequence and some patch scenes.

A source reveals, “Rohit has lined up a seven-to-10 days’ schedule for the patch shoot with the principal cast. Ranveer began filming his portions on July 21 at Mehboob Studios, Bandra, where a set has been put up. If things go as per plan, the shoot will be wrapped up by the month-end, following which Rohit will focus on post-production.”

Cirkus, which also stars Pooja Hegde, Jacqueline Fernandez and Varun Sharma in key roles, is slated to hit the big screen on December 23. With the laugh riot, Shetty has attempted to give a desi twist to Shakespeare’s renowned play, The Comedy Of Errors. The film, which marks Singh’s second project with Shetty after the successful Simmba (2018), will see the actor in a double role.

Kareena Kapoor Khan spent the summer in the picturesque locales of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, as she shot for the screen adaptation of The Devotion Of Suspect X with co-stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma. Now, the trio have returned to Mumbai for the next leg of the murder mystery. It is heard that director Sujoy Ghosh has set the stage for a three-week schedule in the city. 

A source reveals, “Over this week, the team did workshops for certain key sequences. The shoot will begin next week at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, where the production design team has built a set. While Sujoy has lined up mostly indoor scenes for this stint, some crucial portions will be shot outdoors.” Ghosh is keen to wrap up the movie before the Mumbai monsoon hits its peak in July.

The Netflix film is an adaptation of Japanese author Keigo Higashino’s bestseller of the same name, which revolves around a single mother who accidentally kills her ex-husband. A battle of wits follows as her mathematician neighbour helps her cover up the crime, staying one step ahead of the investigating police officer.

After an elaborate schedule in Nepal, Sooraj Barjatya was to conduct a 20-day stint of Uunchai in Mehboob Studios, Bandra. But now, it has been heard that the filmmaker has done a rethink. With Coronavirus cases escalating in Mumbai, Barjatya has pushed the shoot of his drama that features Amitabh Bachchan, Parineeti Chopra, Anupam Kher, Danny Denzongpa, Boman Irani, Nafisa Ali and Neena Gupta.

A source reveals that the director was to commence the Mumbai schedule in the first week of January. “But Sooraj sir pre-emptively decided to hold off the shoot. Since the film features a string of senior actors, he felt it would be wiser to go ahead with the proceedings only after the cases in the city declined. He also took into account that many units that are shooting in the current scenario, have reported positive cases,” adds the source.

Barjatya has informed the team that they will retrace their steps to the studio only by mid-February, provided the situation improves.

It has been a busy week for Shah Rukh Khan who returned to work last Wednesday, thus ending his three-month hiatus since son Aryan was embroiled in the drugs-on-cruise case. Now that the superstar is back where he belongs, he is working at a frenetic pace, juggling the shoot of Pathan and his cameo in Tiger 3. It is heard that yesterday, Khan took the day off from the two projects to film a commercial for a luxury brand with ad man-director R Balki.

A source reveals that the production team reached Mehboob Studios in Bandra by 8 am for last-minute preparation. “The shoot, which began around noon, went on for almost 10 hours. As per procedure, the entire crew was tested a few days ago as well as on the day of the shoot. Given the rising cases in the city, Shah Rukh has been vigilant, with his team and him being tested thrice a week during the film shoots,” says the source.

Khan will go back to the world of Tiger 3 today, where he is expected to be joined by actor-friend Salman Khan.

In September, filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar had told mid-day that he was eyeing a Diwali release for Antim: The Final Truth (Plan to release film on Diwali, September 24). The director was confident that the combination of Salman Khan, a masala actioner and the festival weekend was the perfect recipe to bring the audiences back to theatres. However, there has been a change of plans. The film — also starring Aayush Sharma — will now have a big-screen date with the fans on November 26, almost three weeks after its originally intended release.

Khan, who plays a no-nonsense cop in Antim, shot some additional scenes at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, last week. “After returning from the international schedule of Tiger 3, Salman filmed some solo dialogue scenes between October 4 and 6. The decision to add more sequences, featuring the actor, was taken jointly by Salman and Mahesh after seeing the rushes of the gangster-cop drama,” reveals a trade source. The movie is currently in post-production.

The source adds, “With fresh sequences added, editing will take slightly longer than expected. So, the director and Salman decided to push the release to November 26.” Antim will now lock horns with John Abraham’s cop caper Satyameva Jayate 2.

The official adaptation of the Marathi hit, Mulshi Pattern (2018), sees Khan in pursuit of a village youth-turned-gangster, played by Sharma. The project has piqued the interest of OTT platforms, owing to the superstar’s presence. “After Salman wrapped up the shoot, he had a meeting with the suits of a streaming giant. A call was taken to release Antim first in the cinemas because the team believes it has shaped up well.”

The source adds that the movie will have its digital release four weeks after it hits the marquee. The date, however, is yet to be finalised. A source closely associated with the project states, “Antim is currently in the last leg of editing. With the movie halls in Maharashtra set to reopen later this month, the team is eyeing a theatrical release on November 26.”

The iconic Mehboob Studios in Bandra, where some of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of the last century were filmed, has been marked as a 'residential zone’ in the city’s new development plan’s excluded portion.

Though final sanction has not been granted for the conversion, the state government, while sanctioning Development Plan 2034, had already proposed a change from its status as a site for a ‘film/ TV studio’.

The roughly four-acre plot is in a prime locality in the western suburbs, close to Mount Mary and a couple of hundred metres from the popular Bandra Bandstand seafront. Property market sources said its development potential could be in the region of Rs 6,000 crore if the reservation is changed to ‘residential’. “The substantial modification for deletion of the studio was proposed on May 8, 2018, and objections and suggestions were called for to keep the plot only in ‘R’ (residential) zone with Mehboob Studios mentioned therein. The urban development department has not cleared it so far,” said property market sources.

In an email response to Mumbai Mirror’s query, a director of Mehboob Productions, which owns the facility, said, “Our property is owned by a private limited company governed by its Articles of Association and the provisions of Company Law. Whether to develop the property or not, is the exclusive prerogative of its shareholders. Over the years we have been targets of many motivated and unfounded reports concerning our studio property, which we do not intend to comment on nor dignify the many rumours, gossip and hearsay concerning it.’’

BJP MLA from Bandra West, Ashish Shelar said, “Mehboob Studios is one of Mumbai's and Bandra's last heritage links to Bollywood film history, where iconic films like Mother India, Guide, Kaagaz Ke Phool were shot. Over the past decade, it has been turned into a vibrant arts and culture place hosting shows like the Mahindra Blues Music Festival and Times Mumbai Festival. Surrendering this iconic space to the builder lobby is an open invite for disaster at an over-congested traffic roundabout. I fully oppose this.”

Interestingly, when the BMC proposed the draft of the new development plan to the state some years ago, it had retained the plot’s reservation for ‘Film/TV studios’. However, the state overruled it and modified the status to allow land use for residential purposes.

The studio property was bought in the early 1950s by well-known producer and director, the late Mehboob Khan. Entrepreneur Faisal Farooqui, who was close to Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar, who passed away recently, recollects a discussion he had with the star some years ago. “Dilip Saheb told me that Mehboob Khan had approached him to raise money to buy the land and invest in the studio. He wanted Rs 11,000, but Saheb politely refused,” said Farooqui.

The studio was preferred by stars and directors alike because of its convenient location. But after some of Khan’s films flopped and the focus of the industry shifted to outdoor settings, the studio hit bad times. After his death in 1964, the property came to his sons, Ayub, Iqbal and Shaukat.

In the early 90s, the family of the late film maker were in talks to sell it to builder Karim Maredia. A family member was then quoted as saying the shareholders were receiving “ridiculously low” dividends – just Rs 75 in 1994. Since then, a makeover has taken place due to a growing demand from event managers to host concerts and cultural shows.

Believing that there’s a powerful story left untold from the Gujarat chapter of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, Ajay Devgn is ensuring that there is no misstep in the creation of Bhuj: The Pride Of India. The actor — who plays Indian Air Force squadron leader Vijay Karnik in the ambitious war drama — had shot a large chunk in Hyderabad earlier this year, with the final schedule taking place in Mumbai in June. But Devgn didn’t bat an eyelid before reshooting a song after he came across music composer Gourov Dasgupta’s Hanjugam.

Director Abhishek Dudhaiya had filmed another love ballad, featuring Devgn. “During the music sessions of The Big Bull [which was produced by Devgn], Ajay sir heard Hanjugam. He immediately said that he wants it for Bhuj. Later, I was told that they had already shot another song, but Ajay sir loved this track so much that the director and he reshot the sequence,” exclaims Dasgupta, thrilled that the actor went the extra mile for his composition. He adds, “Something like this hardly ever happens in the industry. I was overwhelmed and full of gratitude when I heard this.”

The romantic number, rendered by Jubin Nautiyal and penned by Devshi Khanduri, was shot at Mehboob Studio over three days. “Bhuj is my third collaboration with Ajay sir after Total Dhamaal [2019] and The Big Bull,” adds the musician. The period drama, also starring Sanjay Dutt and Sonakshi Sinha, traces how 300 women from a Gujarat village helped the IAF reconstruct an airbase destroyed in the bombings.

Farhan Akhtar’s studio played a role in securing the vaccines

The first step towards getting Bollywood back on its feet is to ensure the vaccination of all involved. The Producers’ Guild of India and the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA), in tandem with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), are organising vaccination drives for the cast and crews of film units in the coming weeks.

The unions are collectively aiming to immunise close to 10,000 people, including artistes, producers, daily-wage workers and freelancers employed with active productions.

The Guild, which consists of leading Indian film, television and digital content producers, will launch the drive for its members and their production crews tomorrow. The six-day programme will be held at Mehboob Studios in Bandra. Manish Goswami, vice-president, Guild, says, “We are targeting close to 5,000 people. Those registered on Co-WIN can receive their vaccination at the venue. This is being done in association with Bhakti Vedanta Hospital, and each jab is priced at Rs 1,000. The cost is being borne by the respective production houses.” They may increase the vaccine rollout, depending on the turnout.

Close to 25 studios, including Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment and Rohit Shetty Picturez, have signed up for the initiative. The cast and crews of OTT platforms, including Amazon Prime Video and Netflix India, are expected to participate.

Siddharth Roy Kapur, president, Guild, adds, “An activity of such magnitude cannot be carried out single-handedly. We are grateful for the support we have received, especially from Excel Entertainment, which played a pivotal role in securing the vaccines, and Mehboob Productions, which generously offered complimentary use of the spacious Mehboob Studios.”

The IFTDA and FWICE will conduct their parallel immunisation camp for 5,000 members at the Federation office in Andheri. “We have tied up with Surya Hospital, and will start the drive between June 10 and 15. All producers, technicians and workers will be eligible. The initiative has been organised by the Federation and sponsored by me,” says Ashoke Pandit, president, IFTDA. Aditya Chopra, head honcho of Yash Raj Films, had pledged to sponsor inoculation of 30,000 daily wagers. It is heard that the Chief Minister’s Office has sent its approval to proceed with the plan. Pandit adds, “YRF will vaccinate 30,000 workers [in the weeks to come]. After the Andheri drive, we plan to set up another camp at Film City.”

You can’t keep filmmaker Rohit Shetty from extravagant action scenes for too long. 

On Tuesday, the director returned to form as he reunited with his Simmba (2018) actor Ranveer Singh for a noodle brand commercial. From cars blowing up to gravity-defying stunts, Shetty incorporated his signature moves in the ad that was shot over a day at Mehboob Studios in Bandra.

“We were delighted to return to shooting high-octane action. Rohit sir was joking that since a long time, he had been itching to shoot an elaborate action sequence, complete with cars blowing up and guns being fired. I shared his sentiment,” says Singh, always game for a round of thrills. 

Having previously shot the 2018 cop caper and currently filming Cirkus with Shetty, the actor is well-aware of his penchant for adrenaline-pumping stunts that leave an impact on the audience. “The last time we shot action together was during the climax of Sooryavanshi [where Singh makes a cameo]. Bahut time se action ka keeda kaat raha tha hum dono ko!”

Soon after Diwali, Ranveer Singh ended his dry spell by facing the camera for Rohit Shetty's Cirkus. The actor-director duo, who have reunited after the resounding success of Simmba (2018), have been giving their own spin to William Shakespeare's acclaimed play, The Comedy of Errors, as they shoot the screen adaptation at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, in adherence with the on-set guidelines.

Known to wrap up his projects quickly, it is not surprising to hear that Shetty is already charting out the final schedule of the Jacqueline Fernandez, Varun Sharma and Pooja Hegde starrer.

"Ranveer and the unit will head to Ooty in February for a week-long schedule to shoot the remaining portion of the movie. Rohit's love for the hill station is well-known with many of his movies having been filmed there, and Cirkus will be no exception. He has locked the locations where the cast will be canning pivotal outdoor sequences," reveals a source.

If all goes well, the filmmaker should be able to call it a wrap on the laugh riot by March. mid-day reached out to Shetty's team, which remained unavailable for comment.

Following a dismal 2020, hopes have been pinned on the forthcoming year. For cinephiles, it already looks promising. mid-day has it that slots have been locked for Salman Khan and Aamir Khan's on-screen date, as the former will shoot for his cameo in Laal Singh Chaddha.

A source tells mid-day that with Salman set to revive his revered on-screen persona of the '90s lover-boy, Prem, the makers have decided to recreate a city that will do justice to the part. "Salman plays his role from Maine Pyar Kiya, which was primarily shot in Ooty. The scene is set in the year 1989 when Salman made his debut. It shows him filming in Ooty, where popular songs like Dil Deewana, were canned. For the part, Ashley Rebello will also design the iconic black jacket from the film, for Salman. Aamir's character, then an Army man in his 20s, will be seen bumping into Salman. Aamir has been sporting a clean-shaven look over the last few weeks, because that is the demand of the scene," says a source, adding that the scene will be filmed at Bandra's Mehboob Studios on January 8, after both the actors return from their year-end vacations.

Spanning across 30 years, Laal Singh Chaddha, a remake of Tom Hank's Forrest Gump, travels across 100 Indian cities, and covers important political, social and sports milestones too. Should the Hindi adaptation be aligned with the American offering, the scene in question is likely to see Aamir's character, then a celebrity in his own right, rub shoulders with actors.

A fair amount of VFX work will be employed to shave decades off Salman's appearance, given that the actor is currently sporting a bearded look for his upcoming actioner Antim. Ironically, Mr Perfectionist is keen to direct the shot that is, in most likelihood, going to be improvised.

His slate of films is testimony that Jackie Shroff can shine in dramatic films and comedy ventures in equal measure. After playing an inspiring father to Salman Khan's Bharat in the film by the same name, mid-day has it that he will play a quirky cop in the upcoming offering, Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai. 

A source tells mid-day, "Jackie plays a senior police officer. His character is interesting, and quirky. While Jackie has played the role of a police officer in the past, this time around, he will approach the part in a light-hearted way. Salman will be seen taking instructions from Jackie in the film. The duo shares a close bond, and a sense of understanding was evident between them during the shoot."

While parts of the film were shot post the Coronavirus pandemic, it worked in Shroff's favour that a major chunk of his portion was filmed before it. "This time, he had only four days of shoot left, and Salman was cautious when shooting resumed. He was concerned about Jackie, and ensured that his portions were wrapped up at the earliest. Jackie's scenes were shot in a confined space in a Karjat studio, and at Mehboob Studios."

Directed by Prabhudeva, the film also stars Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda, and Zarina Wahab in important roles. It also marks the acting debut of singer Arjun Kanungo. mid-day reached out to Khan's team to confirm the development, but didn't receive a response till press time.