Balaji Films shoots at gangland area in Dongri; families and gang members crowd around to see film based on one of their own
Balaji Films shoots at gangland area in Dongri; families and gang members crowd around to see film based on one of their ownBALAJI movie Once Upon A Time In Mumbai was being shot for a few days last week at Charnal area in Dongri, the place that has been the hub of the mafia since 1970, from Haji Mastan to Dawood Ibrahim. But other than the movie's stars, there were more important people on the sets, especially the family of Dawood.
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Ajay Devgan who is rumoured to play Dawood Ibrahim in his next film |
His sister Haseena Parkar, nephew Sajid Waghale, relatives of Tiger Memon who is the main accused of 1993 blasts, Pathan brothers who are close to the D gang, Iqbal Kaskar's close aides and many others who have cases against them or have been related to gangs were seen at the shoot.
Why the curiosity? Once Upon A Time In Mumbai is rumoured to be inspired by the real lives of gangsters Haji Mastan and Dawood Ibrahim, played by Ajay Devgan and Emraan Hashmi. Kangana Ranaut is said to be essaying actress Madhubala's role, who Mastan was infatuated by, while Prachi Desai is rumoured to be playing Dawood's soulmate Mahjabeen.u00a0
A source present at the place saw that the movie was being shot at a building where the relatives of Tiger Memon stay. Haseena, Sajid and all the people related to the D gang and other gangs were eagerly watching the shoot, going on the fourth floor of the building. In fact, Haseena and few others even went up to take a closer look.
The source added, "All were anxious to know about the shooting Ajay, Emraan and other actors were the part of the shoot. All of them were aware about the shoot, as it's said to be based on Dawood."
When asked, director Milind Luthria said, "We're shooting at Dongri as the movie is based on such a subject."
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Gangster Dawood Ibrahim's whose sister Haseena allegedly visited the sets of Once Upon a Time in Mumbai shot in Dongri |
However he said he was unaware that they were shooting at a place that belonged to the relatives of the Memon family and that he had such an audience.
According to our source, the shoot started on Thursday evening and went for around an hour. Within minutes, word had spread and a huge crowd gathered at the place.
The film is said to be based on the story of Haji Mastan, India's first celebrity don who later reformed himself. It covers the early gangster and smuggling phase in Mumbai, in the '60s and '70s and revolves around the birth of Mumbai's mafia in the '80s. Mastan was responsible for introducing Dawood to a world of crime and gradually passed on the reins to him while mending his own ways. There's also the story of Mastan's unrequited love for actress Madhubala. She never returned his feelings and after her tragic death in 1969, Mastan was devastated.
He later married starlet Sona, a Madhubala lookalike who he launched in films.
