In January, mid-day had reported that the shoot of Saif Ali Khan’s film with director Rahul Dholakia had to be deferred from its January 20 date after the attack on the actor in his Bandra home earlier that week (Saif’s health above all else, Jan 19). Three months on, the period piece, which chronicles India’s first general election, has gone on floors. Sources tell us that the yet-untitled film rolled on April 20 near Grand Hotel in Ballard Estate, with Khan expected to join this week. It will mark his first shoot since his attack.

The actor plays Sukumar Sen, India’s first Chief Election Commissioner, alongside Pratik Gandhi and Deepak Dobriyal in the Nikkhil Advani production. The director is said to have kicked off filming with a crowd scene. An insider tells us, “The set had over 200 extras who formed the crowd. It was a charged sequence with Pratik and Deepak. The unit will shoot across different locations in the city over the next few weeks. Saif and the director intend to shoot a chunk of the drama by May-end. The actor has wrapped up the promotions for Jewel Thief, and will turn his attention to this project in the coming days.”