Cyclone Tauktae destroys many Bollywood film sets causing further delays

(From left) The set of Tiger 3 was built at SRPF Ground, and Gangubai Kathiawadi, at Film City

Cyclone Tauktae battered Mumbai with rains and gusty winds on Monday, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Film and television sets spread across different locations in the city that have been standing unused since April 15 due to the suspension of shoots, too suffered at the hands of nature's fury.

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali had an elaborate set built at Film City for the final stint of Gangubai Kathiawadi. "Ahead of the monsoons last year, Bhansali sir had the entire area covered to ensure minimum damage. The move benefitted him immensely as the set-up remained unscathed despite Monday's torrential rains," reveals a source. It is heard that some producers sent workers to Film City to cover their sets when news of the cyclone was announced over the weekend. Salman Khan was shooting for Maneesh Sharma's Tiger 3 before the junta curfew was imposed in Maharashtra. The source reveals that a set-up, along the lines of a Dubai market, had been created at the SRPF Ground in Goregaon for the stint. "The outdoor set-ups of Tiger 3 and Junaid Khan's Maharaja [tentatively titled], which was built in Marol, have been slightly impacted."

The make-believe worlds of television shows have been hit harder. BN Tiwari, president, Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), says, "Film City, which is largely a green belt, has suffered the most. Thankfully, shoots were suspended in the city, so there has only been damage to property, and no loss of lives. That said, there has been mass-scale destruction of sets." A wall has apparently caved in on the site where popular show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai used to be filmed.
The television industry has suffered another blow due to the cyclone - all shoots along the western coast have been stalled. "The shoots of web shows and serials in Daman, Diu, Umbergaon and Gujarat have been halted. Things were bad enough in the entertainment industry, and the cyclone made it worse. It will be a week before the damage can be taken stock of, and shoots can resume," adds Tiwari.

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