For the suburban Bollywoodwallahs, a trip to Colaba is not a particularly pleasing thought. It's even less appealing when the shoot's call time is 5.30 am. A stylist friend asked if it was an Akshay Kumar shoot since he is infamous for his early morning call time. "Even better," was the reply as we dashed off to see filmmaker Christopher Nolan open his week-long schedule of Tenet in the city.

Sitting a lane away from Regal cinema, iconic pub Café Mondegar, known as much for its vintage jukebox as for its Bifteck Alla Supremo, was cordoned off with barricades, and manned by brawny security guards. A few inquiries among the 150-odd extras present at the scene helped us learn that the film's on-ground production unit had been in discussion with the café for permissions to function out of their premises. A well-informed hanger-on told us the café's partners were clear they wouldn't mess with their weekend loyalist crowd, and in turn, the unit agreed to shoot in the wee hours of Monday.