Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 5, 2020)

BAAGHI 1: From the chase to the finish
The market chase sequence was tricky. We could not have too many rehearsals since we were shooting on the streets of Bangkok. We reached the location, figured out the obstacles and improvised there and then, deciding that I could run along that wall, jump from this point to that, manoeuvre my way through the bustling crowds without inconveniencing anyone, then, suddenly, spring an attack. It was literally action on the run. The climax threw another challenge —to reach the antagonist, martial arts expert Sudheer Babu at the top of the building, I had to take on opponents from different nationalities with their own specialised skills on each floor. With several fighters coming at me all at once, we had to choreograph the fight in such a way that they looked fast, clean and as graceful as possible. There was a lot of give-and-take with fighters as I had to anticipate their reactions to say, a certain kick of mine, and retaliate accordingly. And it was all happening on the spot!


BAAGHI 2: Sweating it out in Krabi
The biggest dare in this film was undoubtedly the climax because it was set in a jungle. We were shooting in the hot and humid Krabi and it got really sweaty and sticky. My fighting style also was a lot fiercer in Part 2, necessitating contact with the fighters while brandishing weapons, like guns and knives. For certain shots, I had to swing from a rope while balancing a heavy gun on my right arm and maintaining posture. For others, I had to go for the kill with a gun in each hand... Phew!


WAR: When Krrish met Baaghi…
My introduction sequence was two-and-a-half minutes of continuous fighting so I had to remember when to crash through a sheet of glass, how to fall and where to jump onto someone, pulling the chandelier after me. And all this was done in one single take. In the climax, I was fighting my hero, Hrithik (Roshan) sir, so the pressure mounted and how! It was literally Krrish vs Baaghi.

BAAGHI 3: Superman in Serbia
Every action sequence upped the ante. It got even scarier because we were doing everything live, with real weapons, tanks, helicopters and cars. I ran through 97-98 blasts; explosions happening behind me, on the sides and also in front of me. The wind made it more unpredictable as the flames could suddenly turn towards me. Plus, we were shooting in minus 5 degrees and I was running bare-bodied. The local Serbian crew, who were used to the sub-zero temperature and were still all bundled up, would look at me with awe, wondering if I was a man or a beast. It was truly a superhuman feat!

While we were filming, the adrenaline rush kept me going, but once I returned to my hotel room, I had absolutely no energy left. My team would put me on the bed and for an hour, I wouldn’t have the strength to move a muscle. Then, somehow, I would roll into the bathroom, take a hot water shower and then, go in for physiotherapy every day, before calling it a night. It was immense hard work and sheer torture because we were racing against time. We shot 150 days of action in just 70.

Ahmed Khan on working with the actor and taking the Baaghi series forward; informs Heropanti 2 will kick off before year-end
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 2, 2020)

After Baaghi 2 and the upcoming third instalment of the action franchise releasing on March 6, the trio of Tiger Shroff, director Ahmed Khan and producer Sajid Nadiadwala are collaborating for the third time on the recently-announced Heropanti 2. The 30-year-old actor had made his Bollywood debut with the romantic action-comedy, but his director is quick to inform that Part 2 will see a completely different Tiger. “We aren’t taking his original character from Heropanti forward. From the poster you must have realised that his look will be sleek and sharp. We are still working on the script and his character and while there will be a lot of action in this one too, it will be very different from the one in the Baaghi series,” says Ahmed who starts prep by the month-end.

They will be shooting Heropanti 2 in four countries. The film will go on the floors before the year-end. “I believe in making a hero look like a hero, and Tiger is the only actor from the younger lot who can spearhead a franchise. We are all very excited for it,” exults the filmmaker who is currently in the midst of promotions for Baaghi 3.

The earlier franchise is still memorable for its climax where Tiger stormed antagonist Raghav Shetty’s (played by Sudheer Babu) building, single-handedly fighting his men on each floor before the final face-off. “In Part 2, we went from vertical to horizontal, with Tiger going deep into the jungle to combat with Manoj Bajpayee’s DIG Ajay Shergill. Every director should visualise his film like Sanjay Leela Bhansali does for his sets and songs and Rohit Shetty for his car sequences. For Baaghi 3, we started conceptualising the action sequences first, to determine the scale of the film. And since we wanted it really big, we decided to pitch Ronnie against a nation this time,” says the director.

Not wanting to shoot against a green screen, he visited several countries before zeroing on Serbia where they recreated Syria on a set spread across 2.5 kilometres. “We first went to Istanbul, but they had some restrictions on the use of tanks and helicopters, on blasts as well and we have some 430 of them in the film,” he recounts.

Next, they went to Georgia where they did a mock shoot. “But I wanted the blasts to go up to 100-120 feet which wasn’t possible,” narrates Ahmed, saying at the Serbian army base, they made him stand in front of the T72s, Soviet battle tanks. “I was so impressed that I immediately decided we’d shoot there.”

Prod him for details on the action and the director recollects a risky scene with Tiger standing in front of a car which explodes. “He was 30 feet away and we had placed the camera in a way that it would seem like Tiger was closer to the car. Even as the car blew up, the wind turned in his direction bringing with it a big thermocol fireball that raced directly towards him. Thankfully, my assistant caught Tiger and ran with him, otherwise it would have definitely hit him. Despite the close shave, Tiger believed in my vision and was very co-operative throughout,” says a gratified Ahmed.

In 2018, they had announced Baaghi 3, even before the second part opened in the theatres. So, is Baaghi 4 also in the works? “I would love for it to happen, but we will take a short gap between this film and the next this time,” he smiles.

The choreographer-turned-director had featured as a child artiste in Shekhar Kapur’s Mr India (circled in the picture, left). What does he think of the reboot, as announced by Ali Abbas Zafar? “I can still play the child actor, there is no major change in me apart from the fact that I have grown by three inches,” he jokes, adding it should be made. “It’s an iconic film, but I don’t know how they will get the kids and the feel right,” he asserts, revealing that five years after the Sunny Leone starrer Ek Paheli Leela, he is getting back to production with two action films, one with Zee and the other with T-Series. “One of them will be directed by Kapil, action director Tinnu Verma’s son.”

After playing leading lady in Part 2, the actress will be shaking a leg to a special song in the third instalment
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 19, 2019)


The Baaghi franchise kicked off in 2016 with Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead. A couple of years later, the sequel marked the entry of Disha Patani into the franchise. Earlier this year, producer Sajid Nadiadwala announced that the third Baaghi film will mark the reunion of Tiger and Shraddha, and the makers kicked of the film in September with a brief schedule in Mumbai. Now, Mirror has learnt that the Ahmed Khan directorial will mark the return of Disha, too, to the franchise. The actress starts work on her portions tomorrow.

According to a source close to the development, Disha has come on board for a special dance number, which will be shot in Mumbai over three-four days. “A set has been constructed at a city studio and Disha will be seen shaking a leg with hundreds of background dancers,” the source informed. Her moves are choreographed by Adil Shaikh, who has assisted Ahmed as a choreographer in Yuvvraaj and worked on films like Kapoor & Sons, Secret Superstar, Kedarnath and Student \Of The Year 2.

In Baaghi 2, Jacqueline Fernandez had a cameo in the recreated version of the Madhuri Dixit-starrer Tezaab chartbuster “Ek Do Teen”. “Like the previous dance number, this one too, will be a part of the film’s narrative and take the story forward. It’s a quintessential Bollywood dance number,” the source added.

Filming is currently in the final leg, with the team wrapping up a marathon schedule in Serbia few days ago. While Shraddha carried space blankets for her colleagues to counter the biting cold, Tiger shot for some bare-body sequences in sub-zero temperatures. “Tiger also injured himself during one of the dare-devil stunts and suffered bruises all over his body,” informed the source.

With the film, while Tiger gets back to playing the rebellious Ronnie, Riteish Deshmukh joins the franchise as his brother, a police officer with Ankita Lokhande as his love interest and Shraddha’s sister. The film is gearing up for a March 2020 release.

Actor will shoot for next 25 days in Serbia for Baaghi franchise; special teams from Thailand, Bulgaria and Serbia are designing the stunts
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 23, 2019)

Mirror had earlier reported (October 21) that the third instalment of Sajid Nadiadwala’s Baaghi franchise, featuring Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh and Ankita Lokhande, will be shot extensively in Serbia. The team kicked off the Central European schedule on November 8, where they will can a major portion of the second half. Tiger himself will be filming action scenes non-stop for the next 25 days. Currently the climax scene is being shot.

The team which is put up in the capital city of Belgrade, travels two hours to a remote location every day for the Ahmed Khan directorial. According to a source from the set, special stunt teams have been recruited from Thailand, Bulgaria and Serbia. “They, in consultation with Sajid, Tiger and Ahmed, are designing kicks, flips and punches. The idea is to take the action a notch above the earlier two parts. The international team was pleasantly surprised when Tiger got the complicated stunts right in the first take,” adds the source.

And it’s not just Tiger who impresses with his gravity-defying muscle power, even leading lady Shraddha, who plays an air-hostess and is back in the Bay after a week’s shoot in the White City, has some kickass action sequences in the film. She will be joining the team again shortly. Riteish, who plays a cop and Tiger’s brother, leaves for Serbia on December 1. Along with Ankita who plays his wife and Shraddha’s sister, he will be a part of the action. A song will also be picturised there on the two couples.

The makers have got permission from the local government for the use of military ammunition and equipment. On Wednesday, Sajid who flew down to the country after ringing in his wedding anniversary with wife Warda in Mecca Madina, met Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and top-ranking army officer, Colonel Mihailo Zogovic, to discuss possibilities of a cross cultural exchange through films.

The overseas schedule which is the last leg of the film, will wrap up mid-December after which the team will get busy with the post-production. The film opens in March 2020.

Actor joins the cast of the third Baaghi film as they leave for a month-long shoot in Serbia on Nov 8
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 5, 2019)

The cast of Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor starrer Baaghi 3 seems to be getting bigger by the day. Mirror has learnt that after Riteish Deshmukh, Ankita Lokhande and Satish Kaushik, director Ahmed Khan has roped in Vijay Varma to play a pivotal role in the Sajid Nadiadwala production.

Vijay describes the film as “the most colourful script” and his character as “fascinating”, with shades of humour. “He appears in a foreign land and helps Tiger out of a sticky situation. I’ve already shot with Tiger and Shraddha in Mumbai,” informs the actor, who had played Ranveer Singh’s friend Moeen Arif in the Zoya Akhtar-directed Gully Boy, which is India’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Oscars.

Baaghi 3 went on the floors on September 12 in the Maximum City. On November 8, the cast flies to Serbia for the film’s first international schedule. “We’ll be there for over a month. Many kids in my family are excited about the film, as they are all Tiger fans. He’s in incredible shape and I’m looking forward to get some fitness mantras from him,” adds Vijay.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 23, 2019)

In an earlier interview to Mirror (July 11), director Ahmed Khan had informed that his Baaghi 3 leading lady Shraddha Kapoor, who is reuniting with Tiger Shroff after their first outing together in 2016, will be seen doing a different kind of action which won’t be gimmicky or typical maar-dhaad. “It’s a combination of mind and speed, very slick and international. We are still planning what kind of training she will need to go through, but I can assure that she will surprise everyone,” the filmmaker had said.

We have now learnt that Shraddha will undergo training in Judo and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as part of her prep for the action-drama. “After shooting in Mumbai, Delhi and Agra, we leave for a 40-day schedule in Serbia in November. Three action masters, Kecha Khampakdee (he worked on the second part of the franchise as well) and Slavisa Ivanovic (stunt coordinator for Uri: The Surgical strike) who’s from Serbia, along with a Bulgarian trainer, will be training her,” informs Ahmed, who kicked off the Sajid Nadiadwala production on September 12 in Mumbai, jumping into action the following day.

While Riteish Deshmukh plays Tiger’s brother, Shraddha will be seen as an airhostess. As a part of her prep, she will attend some workshops too and will train for action in Serbia during the shoot. They are expected to finish filming by the year-end.

Meanwhile, Tiger too, has learnt Krav Maga, Kalaripayattu, Kung Fu, Kickboxing and Muay Thai and will now learn how to wield machine guns, pistols and shotguns.

Riteish Deshmukh joins duo for Sajid Nadiadwala’s third Baaghi film that kicks off today with a 7-day schedule
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 12, 2019)

Last year, Sajid Nadiadwala had announced that Tiger Shroff will return as the rebel Ronnie in the third instalment of the Baaghi franchise, which will be unveiled on March 6, 2020. Soon after, Mirror (February 12) had revealed that Shraddha Kapoor, who was his leading lady in the first film, will return to the action-packed franchise. While the duo is romantically paired, Riteish Deshmukh has come on board to play Tiger’s brother, thereby adding a new dimension to the plot. The action-thriller is being directed by Ahmed Khan and goes on the floors today.

“All the three actors will be a part of the first seven-day schedule. While day one of the shoot will have more conversational scenes, the team jumps into action from the next day,” revealed a source close to the development, adding that after this brief stint in the Maximum City, film will move to real locations, in India as well as abroad.

In April, Ahmed Khan and his team had gone on a recce to several countries, including Egypt, Serbia, Turkey, Georgia, Jordan and Morocco, as this time around they had the option of setting the climax in a desert or the city. In Baaghi and Baaghi 2, Tiger took over a building and a jungle respectively.

“They have decided on Georgia and Serbia as the locations abroad. A marathon schedule will begin in October with the protagonist defending a city in a larger-than-life finale,” the source added.

As part of his prep, Tiger, an MMA (Mix Martial Arts) expert, has learnt new forms—Krav Maga, Kalaripayattu, Kung Fu, Kick-Boxing and Muay Thai. The actor has been actively involved in designing the action with Ahmed and the stunt team. He has gained some more muscle to flesh out his role and will be presented on the lines of Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo, with several shirtless fights. The film will wrap up by the year-end.

With the third Baaghi film, producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Ahmed Khan up the action ante by pitting their hero against a location; the film will be shot in Georgia, Serbia, Turkey and India
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 11, 2019)

Ahmed Khan who recently returned to the Bay from Agra where he was on a recce for the third instalment of the Sajid Nadiadwala-produced Baaghi franchise which reunites Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor, is all set to take the action one level up in the film which is expected to roll by August-end. He promises that his leading man “will cross all limits this time”, pointing out that after the previous film, the responsibility has multiplied three-fold and he has to make sure that he delivers on expectations.

“In Baaghi 2, Tiger jumped off a cliff to land on a mid-air chopper. He also performed stunts on water. This time we have him taking over a city and breaking it down, besides jumping off cliffs and skyscrapers and setting off blasts,” informs Ahmed.

As part of his prep, his hero will be going to Israel to train in Krav Maga as soon as he wraps up his film with Hrithik Roshan. Krav Maga is a military self-defence and fighting system developed for the Israel Defence Forces and security, derived from a combination of techniques sourced from boxing, wrestling, aikido, judo, karate and realistic fighting. “Tiger will be there for eight-10 days and is really looking forward to it. He has so much to give and always up for it,” says the director.

After Israel, the actor will be travelling to Georgia for training in machine guns, pistols, shotguns and other weapons. “We are not naming any place in particular and will be filming in Georgia, Turkey and Serbia. We are also building sets and have a schedule in India too and should lock the location by this week,” says Ahmed who will be travelling to Georgia a couple of more times before the film rolls.

He is all praise for his leading lady who will next be seen with Prabhas in Saaho which opens on Independence Day. “It’s a different kind of action for Shraddha, not gimmicky or typical maar-dhaad. It’s a combination of mind and speed, very slick and international. We are still planning what kind of training she will need to go through, but I can assure that she will surprise everyone,” promises Ahmed who has Chashme Buddoor and Katha director Sai Paranjpye’s grandson Abeer Abhyankar and yesteryear villain ‘Loin’ Ajit’s grandson Faaris Khan assisting him on the film. “I have known them for a while, they had assisted me on a commercial earlier. Sai ma’am and Ajit saab have given so much to the industry, we can only take their legacy forward,” he signs off with a smile.

Actor to kick off third part of action franchise Baaghi in Mumbai, followed by a marathon schedule abroad
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 23, 2019)

In December last year, Sajid Nadiadwala announced that Tiger Shroff would return as the rebel Ronny in the third installment of the Baaghi franchise, which would be unveiled on March 6, 2020. Soon after, it was revealed that the climax of Baaghi 3 would see the leading man defend a city or a desert in a larger-than-life finale. Now, Mirror has learnt that the action-thriller goes on the floors in Mumbai in July.

According to a source close to the development, filming starts with Tiger at a city studio, and after a week of solo sequences, the actor will be joined by his leading lady, Shraddha Kapoor towards July-end. She will juggle between Baaghi 3 and the promotions of Nitesh Tiwari’s Chhichhore.

Following a brief stint in the Maximum City, director Ahmed Khan and his team will fly abroad for a marathon schedule. “Georgia and Jordan are in contention as potential locations, the latter for its desert and the former for its row houses and buildings. The final call will be taken after inputs from the stunt and creative teams, as also permissions,” informed the source.

The team is on a recce in Egypt, Serbia, Turkey and Morocco. One of these countries will be shortlisted for a short schedule after the primary location is locked.

Mirror had earlier reported that Tiger has been bulking up for the film as the action scenes will be on the lines of Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo. “He will be presented as a larger-than-life, shirtless hero who would perform stunts designed by an international team,” the source concluded. 

Vicky Kaushal on being overwhelmed to earn a place in Karan Johar's period drama Takht
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 4, 2018)

Vicky Kaushal is looking forward to collaborating with Karan Johar on Takht, a sibling rivalry drama set in the Mughal period. Though the two teamed up for Lust Stories, Kaushal says Johar did not mention the ambitious project until much later.

"I was in Serbia, shooting for Uri, when I was called back to India for a narration. When Karan narrated the story, I was blown away," begins Kaushal, adding that Johar assumed that he would have reservations about playing a grey character. "Later, over dinner, he told me he wasn't sure if I would take up the part. And my immediate reaction was, 'Who says no to a Karan Johar passion project?' To be a part of his biggest film ever is overwhelming."

The magnum opus features Ranveer Singh, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar and Anil Kapoor. The fear of getting overshadowed in an ensemble cast doesn't play on the actor's mind. "Aiming for longer screen time is superfluous; it is the story that will connect with the audience. I only ensure that I don't get slotted with a specific image," says Kaushal, who has a big release in Manmarziyaan.

Actor was rushed to hospital when he injured his arm during an action sequence; returned to Mumbai over the weekend but will resume shooting in a few days
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 16, 2018) 

Vicky Kaushal, who started shooting for his next, Ronnie Screwvala’s Uri based on the Indian army’s surgical strikes in Pakistan occupied Kashmir following the attacks on Uri on September 29, 2016, injured his right arm during an action sequence last week and had to be rushed to a hospital in Serbia. The actor returned to Mumbai for a few days over the weekend.

During his stay here, Vicky will be shooting for a prior commitment, resting in between breaks before he returns to the film sets. Shooting for the film, helmed by debutant director Aditya Dhar, also featuring Yami Gautam, Paresh Rawal, Kirti Kulhari and Mohit Raina, kicked off in Serbia in June.

A source from the set reveals that Vicky had been training daily in action because the film requires him to pull off some daredevil stunts. During one such sequence, he injured his arm badly and was in unbearable pain. “The doctors said it was due to muscle inflammation and overexertion. He has been undergoing daily physiotherapy sessions and will resume shooting in Serbia later in the week. The team has made arrangements and planned the schedule in a way to ensure that the injury isn’t aggravated,” added the source.

After this schedule, the team will be filming in Mumbai, the dates for which have yet to be finalised. Vicky plays the commander-in-chief who led this operation and a group of paratroopers. The actor, who has bulked up for the part, currently weighs 90 kgs and has been filming the action sequences with Stefan Richter who has worked on films like Kick and Dishoom in the past and more recently Saaho.

Besides the incident of not being allowed inside a restaurant with her sister, Yami Gautam had a blast shooting in Serbia
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 22, 2018)

Early this month, Yami Gautam had taken off to the Serbian capital of Belgrade to start shooting for Ronnie Screwvala’s Uri, based on the September 18, 2016, attacks on the Indian army headquarters in Uri, Kashmir, near the LoC where four militants along with 17 Indian army personnel were killed after a six-hour gun battle. Yami plays an intelligence officer in this true-to-life drama.

The actress who returned to the bay on Thursday, raves about the amazing weather there. “It was sometimes cloudy and sometimes cold, but mostly pleasant. The shoot was hectic as the locations were far away from the hotel, but whenever I got the time, I’d head out for a stroll. We explored the place on foot and knew most of the routes by the time the schedule ended, suggesting places to visit and shop to others,” she laughs.

She goes on to rattle off about the tourist spots — Belgrade Fortress, the Church of Saint Sava, Bohemian Quarter where students would gather to watch football matches and the lakes — like a local guide and informs that shopping is best at Pedestrian Street. She adds that there are some cosy cafes near the lakes as well where one can sit and relax after a long day of work. “I sampled the local cuisine and loved the Serbian cake. It’s worth all the calories.”

Back in Mumbai, Yami continues to yearn for the long days, with the sun rising as early as at 4.45 am and not setting before 8.30 pm in Belgrade. “I’d wake up in panic thinking that I was late for the shoot only to discover that I was up way too early,” she says, hoping to catch the river cruise when she returns next month for the second schedule. “It was raining this time.”

She was accompanied by her actress-sister Surilie Jasraj Singh, who recently wrapped up the first schedule of Rajkumar Santoshi’s yet-untitled next based on the Battle of Saragarhi featuring Randeep Hooda as Havildar Ishar Singh. “She had the best time working with Raj ji and it was refreshing for her to join me after the shoot,” she smiles.

Ask her on the incident when Surilie wasn’t allowed to enter a restaurant in Serbia and the 29-year-old actress says, “Every fine dining restaurant in the world has a dress code. We had just landed and were not formally dressed and were politely turned away. They were very apologetic about it. I put up an Instagram story and the joke spiralled into something else.”

She’s all praise for her co-stars “chilled out” Vicky Kaushal and the “amazing actor” Paresh Rawal. “There is so much to learn from Paresh ji, as a person he is really easy to work with. We recited some of our favourite dialogues from his films, including Andaz Apna Apna, Chachi 420 and Hera Pheri, but enacted them really badly,” she admits.

Meanwhile, Yami is gearing up to start shooting for Shree Narayan Singh’s, social drama, Batti Gul Meter Chalu with Shahid Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor. “In a week’s time, I am going to begin with workshops and readings and am really looking forward to the shoot,” the actress says.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 1, 2017)

For centuries, straddling the boundaries between the East and the West, the territory of Serbia has been divided among the Eastern and Western halves of the Roman Empire, then between Byzantium and the Kingdom of Hungary, and in the early modern period between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Empire. These overlapping influences have resulted in cultural varieties throughout Serbia. The country’s capital Belgrade is characteristic of the Balkans, the Mediterranean and the Orthodox Church, and is covered in culturally significant monuments, five of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Actor-businessman Vivek Oberoi who is presently shooting in the European country shares his experiences:

History lessons

This is my first visit to Serbia and I’m happy it’s a 40-day schedule for my Tamil film Vivegam. The production unit worked really hard getting the requisite permission and now we have a very supportive government on our side. I’m a history buff and followed the country’s political and demographical evolution from the Celtic times, through the Ottoman Empire to the Second World War. Serbia was India’s strong strategic partner in the non-aligned movement, when the country was still Yugoslavia. Like us, Serbians are traditional in their thought, have strong family bonds and extremely proud of their heritage and culture.

Brrr, it’s minus 12 degrees!

Shooting in minus 12 degrees is difficult, and night shoots are colder. We get sunlight for eight-nine hours, but as soon as it’s ‘Cut”’, two unit hands run to me with blankets. When we aren’t shooting, I wear jackets and long coats. My wife Priyanka enjoys sipping hot coffee in the cold. We’ve mostly been filming in Belgrade. I’ve had time to explore the city centre and visit the Belgrade Military Museum with its exhibition of tanks down the ages.

The Nikola Tesla Museum houses over a million books, historical exhibits, photo plates of original objects, plans and drawings. It is registered as a part of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme register owning to its critical role in the electrification of the world and future technological advancements in this area. The highlight of my trip was a visit to the Belgrade Air Force Base. Not many tourists get permission to enter it, but because of my association with the film, I landed this opportunity. I also went to the church of Saint Sava on the Vracar plateau, one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. It is dedicated to Saint Sava, the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church and an important figure in medieval times. It offers a panoramic view of Belgrade’s cityscape.

Fresh from the streets

I love the local cuisine. The markets sell fresh street food and you can buy organic fruits and veggies daily. I could actually taste the difference in the produce here in their size, colour and flavour. The vendors are as beautiful as the region and so helpful. I’d recommend the grilled meat, stuffed cabbage, minced beef and pork preparations with rice stuffed in vine leaves. I love Serbian beans, podvarak, which is roast meat, and moussaka, which is minced pork or beef mixed with eggs and potatoes and baked. Yummy! Priyanka and I took a tour of Belgrade by night. While walking the streets around midnight, Priyanka and I noticed how safe the country was.

I started shooting only recently but the crew has spent almost two months here and no one has ever faced a problem. The Serbians are honest and welcome Indians with open arms. I was surprised to see so many tourists in Serbia. People visit during winter too, in November and December. I did not bump into any fans but the locals are familiar with our film culture. Since, Priyanka and I are both gypsies, we love wearing our boots and backpacking. We’ve travelled extensively through Europe. Next, I’d like to explore stunning Central and Eastern Europe by visiting Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Macedonia. They’re all alluring regions!

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 24, 2017)