Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has started shooting for his next film, Pralay, in Mumbai. The post-apocalyptic survival thriller, which marks the directorial debut of Jai Mehta, son of filmmaker Hansal Mehta, has gone on the floor at live locations across the city.
The film comes after Ranveer's work in Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar franchise and will place the actor at the centre of a story set against a world facing an apocalyptic catastrophe. The makers are yet to announce the film's release date.
Pralay is being mounted as a large-scale survival drama, with Mumbai forming an important part of its setting. The story follows characters navigating a world disrupted by an apocalyptic event, with survival and the instinct to protect what matters at its core.
Hansal Mehta on son Jai Mehta's Pralay
Hansal Mehta has previously spoken about the development of Pralay and his son Jai's journey with the project. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, he said Jai had been working on the idea for a long time before Ranveer came on board.
He said, "Jai had been working on this idea for a long time. When Ranveer saw his directorial work, he was impressed. Then Jai pitched the idea to him. Once Ranveer said he liked the idea, we invested in developing it, helping Jai create the world he wants to present in the film. Ranveer’s conviction and commitment towards both the script and Jai has enabled Pralay."
The film has been in development for some time, with Jai working on building the world and scale required for the story. Hansal also stressed that Pralay is an original story rather than an adaptation.
Pralay is set in a post-apocalyptic world
According to Hansal, Pralay is attempting to explore a post-apocalyptic setting on a scale that has not been widely attempted in Indian cinema, as he said, "It’s a post-apocalyptic world that hasn’t been attempted before at this scale in India. Development is not just about writing. It also includes ideas, how you shape them, how you visualise them, and how you eventually sell them to a third party, to a star or a studio. We’ve invested in building those ideas. It’s not an adaptation. Jay and Vishal Kapoor have written the original story."
The film is being shot in and around Mumbai, with live locations expected to play an important role in creating its setting. Details about the plot and Ranveer's character have largely been kept under wraps.
Kalyani Priyadarshan joins Ranveer Singh
Pralay also stars Malayalam actor Kalyani Priyadarshan in a pivotal role. The project brings together Ranveer and Kalyani for the first time and marks another major Hindi film for the actor. She was last seen in the superhit female superhero film, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra.
Pralay budget and makers
Pralay is reportedly being made on a budget of around Rs 300 crore, making it one of the more ambitious projects in Ranveer's upcoming line-up. The film is being co-produced by Ananya Birla's Birla Studios, Hansal Mehta and Sahil Saigal's True Story Films, and Ranveer Singh's Maa Kasam Films.
Also Read:
