Keeping crew's safety in mind, Ajay Devgn holds off the final stint of Mayday shoot

Ajay Devgn

Despite the trying conditions, Ajay Devgn successfully shot major portions of his directorial venture, Mayday, since it went on floors last December. But the actor-director is now faced with a challenge in the last leg of the aviation drama, which also features Amitabh Bachchan and Rakul Preet Singh. According to the original plan, Devgn was to head to Doha with his crew in April-end for a three-day schedule. However, with the surge in COVID-19 cases across India and keeping the safety of his crew in mind, the leading man has decided to hold off the final stint.

Amitabh Bachchan

Mayday, inspired by a 2015 episode, tells the story of a Doha-Kochi flight that has a close shave due to poor visibility and has to be diverted to another airport in south India. A trade source reveals, "Given the nature of the thriller, it was to be shot at various airports across India. Since that was not a possibility during the pandemic, Ajay had sets of different airports built in Hyderabad to film the required portions. For the last leg, he had handpicked a slim crew that would leave for Qatar and shoot in a bio-bubble. But he has done a rethink after the cases have seen a spike in the past few weeks. For the actor, the health of his cast and crew is the top priority. His resolve was further strengthened with the Middle-East country levying strict restrictions on international travel." The movie's penultimate schedule was wrapped up last week in Mira Road and Vasai, in adherence with safety protocols.

Rakul Preet Singh

When mid-day reached out to the film's team, the spokesperson confirmed the development, saying, "The shoot is almost complete in Mumbai, with only a couple of days' work left. For the Middle East schedule, the team is expected to go on a recce once the travel restrictions [are lifted]."