It seems Ranbir Kapoor’s star power is continuously escalating! Never more was this seen then when the shooting of his upcoming release Barfee was interrupted by overenthusiastic crowds earlier this past week in Darjeeling.
Excited crowds are a common issue that Bollywood directors often confront, but these crowds at the Darjeeling Ghoom station were a bit more than director Anurag Basu could handle. “I have shot almost everywhere in the country and abroad and while stars always attract crowds, shooting is never disrupted in this fashion,” Basu told one leading daily newspaper. “We were dealing with more than just starstruck crowds here.”
Shooting became troublesome when parts of the crowd began entering the frame, frequently interrupting scenes. The troubles worsened when crewmembers allegedly began shouting at bystanders to clear the area, therefore angering sections of the crowd and halting the shoot for several hours.
Basu, however, dubs the incident a “misunderstanding” and was reportedly considering shooting this portion of the film in a different location even though Darjeeling is clearly an integral part of Barfee. “Now I don’t feel like shooting here and am thinking of doing this leg of the film somewhere else. But I don’t know how I can get Darjeeling out of my head,” which is where Basu wrote the film.
However, ultimately, Basu decided to continue shooting in Darjeeling and shot the scenes at odd hours in order to avoid the crowds. Apart from the prior incidents, shooting went smoothly. “The local populace was definitely very cooperative and we had a wonderful shoot,” said the famed director.
If these interruptions are any indication Ranbir, who has had successes in recent films like Raajneeti and Anjaana Anjaani, has a large fan base that is evidently increasing along with his popularity. In Barfee, Ranbir plays the role of a deaf-mute. The film also stars Priyanka Chopra, who wasn’t part of the Darjeeling schedule, and Tollywood actress Ileana D’Cruz. This romantic murder-mystery thriller should release early next year.
Have a look at some of the pictures from the location shoot!
