BOMBAY TIMES (April 18, 2016)
Ajay Devgn, who escaped a near-fatal accident while filming a car sequence for Shivaay in Bulgaria last month, beat a bad bout of hypothermia while shooting in the European nation's highest peak; 2,914 meters above sea level and that too, in extreme cold conditions.
Incidentally, the night before the actor-filmmaker was to shoot at Vihren Peak in the Pirin Mountains of Bansko, the region witnessed heavy snowfall, causing the temperature to drop to minus 19 degrees celsius. While the unit was bundled in layers of woollens, the superstar was in costume -a T-shirt and a jacket. Moreover, the chopper hovering over his head blew a lot of snow around the high altitude area where he was shooting critical solo shots for nearly 40 minutes.
Interestingly, the 2014 Winter Olympics were held at a resort at the base of the Vihren Peak. And its dominating presence with its breath-taking high wall awed the actor-filmmaker so much that he opted to shoot there. By the end of the take, the biting cold had caused him hypothermia. The tense crew made frantic calls and managed to get a doctor from a mountain almost two ski lifts away. Though advised minimum two days' rest, the actor-filmmaker was on his feet in 30 minutes in spite of the adverse weather conditions. Undeterred by the bout of hypothermia, Ajay kept his spirits up and resumed shooting his ambitious directorial venture.
Incidentally, the night before the actor-filmmaker was to shoot at Vihren Peak in the Pirin Mountains of Bansko, the region witnessed heavy snowfall, causing the temperature to drop to minus 19 degrees celsius. While the unit was bundled in layers of woollens, the superstar was in costume -a T-shirt and a jacket. Moreover, the chopper hovering over his head blew a lot of snow around the high altitude area where he was shooting critical solo shots for nearly 40 minutes.
Interestingly, the 2014 Winter Olympics were held at a resort at the base of the Vihren Peak. And its dominating presence with its breath-taking high wall awed the actor-filmmaker so much that he opted to shoot there. By the end of the take, the biting cold had caused him hypothermia. The tense crew made frantic calls and managed to get a doctor from a mountain almost two ski lifts away. Though advised minimum two days' rest, the actor-filmmaker was on his feet in 30 minutes in spite of the adverse weather conditions. Undeterred by the bout of hypothermia, Ajay kept his spirits up and resumed shooting his ambitious directorial venture.