At one point, several films were filmed on the streets of Mumbai, but this trend has now become rare. However, Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film, *Haiwaan*, stands out by bringing back the excitement of shooting on location in the city.
The actor and co-star Saif Ali Khan shot for nearly five days outside Churchgate railway station and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, both iconic locations in South Mumbai. According to an article in *Mid-Day*, Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan filmed a grand action sequence near Churchgate that featured a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase. The scene included 30-40 cars and 100 junior artistes, making it a massive and elaborate shoot.
Filming at this bustling location went on for five nights and was choreographed by renowned action director Stunt Silva. Director Priyadarshan shared insights into the shoot, saying, “Both Saif and Akshay knew how the sequence had to be shot and they cooperated, though Akshay is known to sleep early.” He also added, “Akshay is known to sleep early, yet he shot for 5 nights!” which highlights the dedication of the star.
Akshay Kumar has now wrapped up his portions of *Haiwaan* and has left for Dubai to begin shooting for *Welcome To The Jungle*. Priyadarshan revealed that besides South Mumbai, the team also shot scenes in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), and that he still has around nine days of work left with Saif Ali Khan.
Yesterday, Shriya Pilgaonkar, another cast member, posted a photo on Instagram with director Priyadarshan. She updated her followers that she had completed her shoot for *Haiwaan*, adding, “An absolute privilege to work with this stellar team led by Priyadarshan sir.”
### From *Holiday* to *Haiwaan*
The last time Akshay Kumar shot such an extensive sequence on the streets of Mumbai was for *Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty* (2014). During the film’s tenth anniversary, producer Vipul Shah spoke to Bollywood Hungama about the challenges involved in street shooting with a superstar like Akshay.
He explained, “Mr. A R Murugadoss planned it meticulously. We had approximately sixteen hidden cameras. We had marked the whole path and we knew that we’d be able to film just one shot at a time. This is because the moment people would spot Akshay at a Bandra signal, it was going to become chaos. Thousands of people would assemble in no time to catch his glimpse.”
Vipul Shah added, “You can’t shoot then, as Akshay’s character is supposed to be one of many people in the crowd. Hence, we’d quickly film the shot and then Akshay would sit in his car and speed away. We utilized the parking lot of Gaiety-Galaxy where Akshay used to wait for his next shot. He knew exactly where he was supposed to walk and what he was supposed to do.”
He continued, “We ensured that the shot was done in one take; or else, we’d get a chance to do a retake only 2-3 hours later! Thankfully, we got all our takes in the first take itself.”
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**Also Read:**
Akshay Kumar and Anees Bazmee reunite for a madcap love triangle in a reimagined *Sankranthiki Vasthunam*; set to go on floors in February 2026.
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**More Pages:**
– *Haiwaan* Box Office Collection
– Bollywood News Live Updates
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