THE TIME PRESS Mumbai, February 4, 2026
Big films come with big drama, but this time it’s not on screen. The shooting of Ranveer Singh’s much-awaited Dhurandhar: The Revenge came to a sudden stop when Mumbai Police registered an FIR against the film’s location manager, Rinku Rajpal Valmiki, for flying a drone without permission in the high-security Fort area of South Mumbai.
It happened on February 1. The crew had turned parts of Ballard Estate into a set recreating Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood. Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal were on location, cameras were rolling, and suddenly a drone went up in the air. Someone noticed, complained, and police swung into action. The FIR was filed at MRA Marg police station under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita – basically for knowingly disobeying official orders.
The crew did have permission to shoot on the ground from the Maharashtra film cell. But flying a drone? That needs separate clearance, especially in an area packed with government offices, banks and sensitive buildings. No clearance was taken. Simple as that.
Now, let’s talk straight. Filmmakers spend crores, bring hundreds of people on the streets, block roads, and then skip basic rules. Why? Is it carelessness? Over-confidence? Or is the permission system so complicated that even big productions mess it up?
We keep seeing this again and again – shoots stopped, cases filed, public inconvenience. Local residents were already upset because two roads were blocked for three days. When security is involved, police have no choice but to act. Fair enough. But shouldn’t there be a better way?
Why can’t there be a single-window system where film teams get all clearances – ground shooting, road blocks, drone flying – at one go? Why does every department make them run from pillar to post? If the rules were clearer and faster, maybe these mistakes would stop.
And what about accountability? The location manager has been named, but will the producers step up and admit the lapse? Will they apologise to residents who faced traffic chaos? Or will it just be another headline that fades away once the shoot moves elsewhere?
As citizens, we want both – good films and safe cities. We love seeing Ranveer Singh back in an intense avatar, we’re excited for March 19 when Dhurandhar: The Revenge hits theatres. But excitement shouldn’t come at the cost of rules that protect everyone.
Police are investigating. The shoot has moved on for now. Let’s hope the makers learn, the authorities simplify, and Mumbai keeps its balance between glamour and law. Because at the end of the day, no film is bigger than people’s safety and convenience.
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