The shooting for Vidya Balan-starrer Sherni was suspended after she turned down MP minister Vijay Shah's invitation for dinner, as per reports. Shah who is Madhya Pradesh's Forest Minister has however denied the allegations. Balan has been shooting in the state for the past few weeks in the forest area for Sherni, which is being directed by Amit Masurkar.
On Sunday Shah was quoted as saying by ANI, "I was there (Balaghat) on request from those who took permission for the shoot and requested me for lunch or dinner. I said not possible now, I will meet them when I go to Maharashtra. Lunch or dinner was cancelled, the shoot was not."
Was there(Balaghat)on request from those who took permission for shoot & requested me for lunch/dinner. I said not possible now, I'll meet them when I go to Maharashtra. Lunch/dinner was cancelled, shoot wasn't: MP min Vijay Shah on reports of his dinner invitation to Vidya Balan pic.twitter.com/N0f4nJBU73
— ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2020
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Earlier, several media outlets had reported that the shoot was reportedly cancelled after Balan turned down Shah's request to have dinner with him this month. It was also reported by TOI that a day after the incident several vehicles from the production team of Sherni were also allegedly stopped from entering a forest for shooting. Reportedly, the District Forest Officer (DFO) of Balaghat granted permission to only two vehicles to enter the forest, where the team was expected to shoot.
“Vehicles of the production team of actor Vidya Balan’s upcoming movie were allegedly stopped from entering a forest for shooting. As per various media reports, it happened a day after the actor turned down Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah’s invitation for dinner,” read the tweet by ANI.
Vehicles of the production team of actor Vidya Balan's upcoming movie were allegedly stopped from entering a forest for shooting. As per various media reports, it happened a day after the actor turned down Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah's invitation for dinner. https://t.co/MQ0ByyZ0zl
— ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2020
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This isn't the first time the shoot for Sherni is in news. On November 2, actor Vijay Raaz was arrested and later released on bail after a female crew member of Sherni filed a case of molestation against him. Following the incident, the makers of the film, Masurkar and producer Vikram Malhotra, reportedly decided to drop him and set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to probe the allegations against him. Read more about here.
This is Balan's first project since the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. She was last seen in Shakuntala Devi's biopic by the same name.