Dhamaal 4 takes a dangerous turn, Ajay Devgn intervenes

Another laugh riot from the Dhamaal franchise is on its way, with Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh and Jaaved Jaaferi having kicked off work on the fourth instalment. But Dhamaal 4’s shoot is turning out to be no laughing matter. Last week, during the shoot in Malshej Ghat, the actors expressed concern regarding a dangerous sequence set on a cliff. We’ve heard Warsi was particularly apprehensive about executing it, and was finally convinced when co-actor Devgn assured him that he will oversee the shoot and the safety measures involved.

The actors’ nervousness was understandable, considering director Indra Kumar had earlier planned to employ VFX for the scene. A source from the set says, “It wasn’t supposed to be a live-action sequence because the location can be precarious. However, a few days before the shoot, Indra ji and Ajay decided to film it at the site. The scene was to have the four actors hanging from a cliff; it was the most dangerous for Arshad as he was to hang at the furthest end. Using body doubles was out of the question as it is a crucial comic scene, with them having to mouth dialogues.”   
 
When the cast voiced their concerns, Devgn, one of Bollywood’s biggest action stars, took the lead. Since he has also been a director, he decided to mount the sequence as per his vision, with help from action director RP Yadav. The source explains, “These actors are in their 40s and 50s, and not as agile or familiar with stunts as they used to be. Some of them even have past injuries. Taking these factors into account, Ajay broke down the sequence and eliminated some movements that could have been risky. He then ran the choreography, step by step, past the actors to see if they felt comfortable with it. To allay their fears, he also explained how safety measures such as harnesses and a safety net would be employed at all times. Plus, an emergency medical unit would be available throughout. It was only when each actor, especially Arshad, felt confident that Ajay went ahead with the scene, and shot it over four days.”  

Impressed by Devgn’s execution of the sequence, Warsi took to Instagram to write an appreciation post where he admitted that he has “newfound respect” for the superstar.