Ahmed Khan: Owe it to these stars who laid down foundation

The leading men with action director Ravi Varma (centre, in blue) during the climax shoot at Film City

What do you get when you bring together Mithun Chakraborty, Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff? A dose of nostalgia. And, as director Vivek Chauhan hopes, Bollywood's answer to The Expendables franchise. In June, the director took the action drama - the working title of which is Baap - on floors. Five months on, the movie is nearing the finish line. The unit is shooting a massive climax sequence at Film City, after which only a song remains to be shot.

Keeping in mind the prowess of the four stars, Baap has been designed as an action extravaganza, complete with dialoguebaazi that was signature of the late '80s and early '90s. A source reveals that the climax has been mounted on a lavish scale. "A huge set of the villain's den has been built across two grounds. The sequence also includes a helicopter chase, explosions, and will see the actors engage in hand-to-hand combat. The unit has been shooting in Goregaon over the past 12 days. Producer Ahmed Khan has roped in two action directors, Parvez Shaikh and Ravi Varma, to mount the set-pieces. Though Mithun sir is 72, he - like his co-stars - has forgone body doubles, pulling off the stunts himself," says the source.

Ahmed Khan

Chauhan hopes to call it a wrap on the talkie portions today, readying the movie for a 2023 release. The source adds, "The film is being planned as a nostalgic event for the audience. It will be along the lines of The Expendables, and Tridev [1989]."

Also Read: 'Baap of All Films': First look of Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Mithun Chakraborty, and Sunny Deol starrer unveiled

For producer Ahmed Khan, Baap is a tribute to the four artistes who shaped up the action genre in Bollywood. "We owe it to these stars who laid down the foundation of action movies for us. Where were safety measures, cables, crash mats or VFX support in those days? They would jump from the fourth floor with just boxes below [for cushioning]. [With Baap], we wanted to see the '80s and '90s heroes perform the kind of action that is enjoyed by today's youth. It was a dream to get these four superstars together in an action-packed entertainer."