Ranveer Singh’s Pralay Shoot Sparks Controversy After Cricket Matches Are Postponed in Mumbai
Ranveer Singh’s upcoming film Pralay has landed in controversy after its shooting at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan reportedly disrupted scheduled junior cricket matches.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has raised objections to the Maharashtra government’s decision to allow the film crew to use the historic cricket ground for filming.
According to reports, the Maharashtra government’s Sports Department granted the film’s makers permission for a six-hour shoot at Azad Maidan.
However, the filming schedule reportedly clashed with Under-14 and Under-16 interschool cricket matches. The MCA said the disruption forced it to postpone the previously scheduled games.
The association has written to the Deputy Director of Sports, expressing its displeasure over the decision. MCA Apex Council member Nadim Memon questioned why a commercial film production received permission to use a ground dedicated to developing young cricketers.
Reports also stated that the production team installed large sets and artificial grass for the shoot. The government reportedly allowed production company Light Rays to use 5,000 square yards of land for six hours. The rental charge was Rs 40,000, along with an additional refundable security deposit of Rs 40,000.
The permission reportedly included conditions to prevent damage to the ground. These included restrictions on bringing vehicles onto cricket pitches, digging and cooking at the location.
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Hansal Mehta Defends Pralay’s Production Team
Producer Hansal Mehta responded to the criticism by stating that the production team had obtained all mandatory clearances from the relevant authorities before filming. He also criticised the bureaucratic difficulties involved in organising film shoots in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Sports Navnath Fartade reportedly said that government rules allow the department to allocate Azad Maidan for non-sporting activities for up to 30 days annually.
Pralay is a dystopian zombie thriller directed by Jai Mehta, marking his feature-film directorial debut. Ranveer Singh leads the project, with Kalyani Priyadarshan also part of the cast. The film is expected to explore a city facing a zombie outbreak.
