Angry crowd brings Barfi shoot to a halt in the hills

Separatist outfit Gorkha Janmukti Morcha helps ease tension in Darjeeling, however, filmmaker Anurag Basu shrugs it offTrouble broke out on the sets of Anurag Basu’s film Barfi, in a Darjeeling (North Bengal) mall early yesterday morning.

It all started when school students and their parents who were passing by interfered with the shots by walking into the frame. The crew members allegedly started shouting at the crowd to clear the area.

The problem escalated when one of the crew members reportedly shouted at a woman who was there with her child. This infuriated the crowd at the spot and the situation got tense, bringing the shoot to a halt for over two hours.

Fortunately, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), an organisation working towards a separate Gorkha land, stepped in to help ease the tension. Eventually the crowd dispersed and shooting resumed.

Binay Tamang, general secretary of GJM said, “We spoke to the cops to help finish the rest of the shoot smoothly. Just like the tourists, the film unit too is our guest. Anurag Basu and his wife met our leader Bimal Gurung.

Among those who caused disruptions, there were four from GJM. A CD of the people present at the spot has been prepared. All guilty shall be punished.”

Basu seemed unaffected. He said, “These things happen on location. We will ask the police to control the mob from now on. I have childhood memories of Darjeeling. I love this place that is why came here to shoot.”

Barfi stars Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor, in which  Priyanka plays the role of a handicapped girl.