In a first, Bhoot The Haunted Ship director discusses how team procured permission to shoot Vicky-starrer at Alang ship-breaking yard in Gujarat.
Vicky Kaushal at the ship breaking yard in Alang
Given the premise of Bhoot — Part One: The Haunted Ship, a major portion of the Vicky Kaushal-starrer had to be filmed inside a wrecked ship. Writer-director Bhanu Pratap Singh was keen to shoot it at the Alang ship breaking yard in Gujarat as he felt it made for the perfect setting for the horror movie. Needless to say, it was easier said than done — the director reveals that procuring permission to shoot at Asia's biggest ship breaking yard was an arduous process as the property had never been captured on celluloid before.
"Our executive producer Parth Dholakia and the suits of the production house [Dharma Productions] had to be stationed [in Bhavnagar] for over a month as they convinced the authorities at the ship yard. We ran from pillar to post, and finally, got the necessary permission," says the debutant director. He adds that the consent came with a strict caveat. "They were clear that we could not use any flammable materials or smoke [on board] as it could lead to fire."
ADVERTISEMENT
The unit of the Karan Johar-backed venture was in Gujarat for over 60 days as they gave shape to the thriller, which is inspired from the 2011 incident when the merchant vessel MV Wisdom lay stranded on Juhu beach for 20 days.
"We shot for eight days on the ship," informs Singh, adding that despite their precautions, leading man Kaushal was injured during the shoot. Turns out, the yard officials would frequently visit the location to ensure the team is sticking to safety guidelines. "Since there was no electricity supply on ship, we had to put up small lights so that we could walk aboard safely. Before we kicked off the shoot, we were given a class on safety measures. We were also asked to wear helmets at all times. Besides local officials, some officers from yards in Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar too dropped in to ensure that the shoot was smooth sailing," says Singh, before grinning, "I think they were fans of Vicky as well."
Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
