Half: Filming of Malayalam movie halted in Jaisalmer after Pak shelling, Aishwarya Raj says heard ‘loud sound’ and there was…

Amid escalating India-Pakistan tension and conflicts, the filming of a Malayalam movie, titled Half, has been halted in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. The film unit members have returned home, amid security concerns after Pakistan forces targeted the region. The film’s actress Aishwarya Raj also spoke to the media, recounting that she heard a loud sound during the attack and then there was a blackout in the town.

Half filming halted in Jaisalmer

Filmmaker Samjad, who previously helmed Golam, is directing his next film Half, starring Ranjith Sajeev. The filming of Half, with around a team of 200 members, was progressing in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. However, after shell attacks targeted the region on Wednesday night, the film crew decided to halt the shooting and return home. The team of Half had planned a 90-day shoot in Jaisalmer.

Half has Ranjith Sajeev in the lead along with Aishwarya Raj, who earlier featured in Officer on Duty. Recounting the incident, Aishwarya told Asianet News that she first heard a loud sound and then there was a blackout in the whole town. She told the media that she first thought it was a mock drill by the Indian Army, and that she realised later only that it was an attack.

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Online reports said that the neighbouring country targeted the Indian Army’s base in Jaisalmer, but nearby areas also felt the impact. Due to these adverse conditions, the film’s crew decided to stop the filming. Half producer Anne Sajeev told Manorama Online that the team is hopeful of resuming filming once the situation changes for the better.

For the unversed, Aishwarya Raj played Anna in the Kunchacko Boban-starrer Officer on Duty.

Other films impacted by India-Pak tensions

Bollywood film Bhool Chuk Maaf, starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi, was slated to release on the big screens on May 9. However, the team has announced that they have decided to release the film directly on OTT, amid growing India-Pakistan tension. Bhool Chuk Maaf will now stream on Prime Video from May 16.

Earlier in the day, veteran Tamil star Kamal Haasan had also postponed the audio launch of his Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam. The event was supposed to be held on May 9, but the makers decided to postpone due to escalating tension.