Milan’s films always have sequences involving horses, like the iconic horse race in Once upon a time in Mumbaai. The director is a passionate horse lover, rider and racing enthusiast.
For his upcoming film Baadshaho, Milan came up with a unique sequence, which he executed himself. Shooting in the land of polo, Rajasthan, Milan and writer Rajat Aroraa designed a sequence that sees Ajay Devgn, throw caution to the winds when he accepts a dare and walk across a polo field with a polo game in full flow during the song Mere Rashke Qamar which features Ileana D’Cruz and him.
Polo is the second fastest game in the world, after ice hockey. And more difficult to shoot in because animals come into play and hence two professional polo teams were hired and the sequence was shot at Jodhpur polo ground. Milan himself mounted one of the horses while showing the players the dangerous moves they had to execute at full gallop around Ajay who would be walking through. After several rehearsals which Ajay watched, the sequence was canned in one take without any accidents.
The only close shave was when one of the horses stopped abruptly when he sensed the steadicam right next to him, but Ajay, an avid rider himself, had the presence of mind to just take a half step and let the horse pass without cutting the shot.
ICYMI Mere Rashke Qamar
Originally sung by the legendary Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the beautiful song has been recreated by Nusrat’s greatest living legacy, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and music composer Tanishk Bagchi.
