"Who will take responsibility for this loss?"
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has responded to the row over the shoot of Ranveer Singh-starrer Pralay at Azad Maidan.
He said the team had secured all the required permissions before filming at the Mumbai ground.
The controversy began after the Mumbai Cricket Association raised objections to the six-hour shoot.
The association claimed the shoot forced the postponement of inter-school cricket matches at the venue.
It has also questioned why a ground used by young cricketers was made available for a commercial film shoot.
Hansal also criticised the hurdles filmmakers face while shooting in the city.
He said: “But I would like to underscore that Mumbai has been rendered a no-go zone for film shoots because of bureaucratic hurdles.
“And people like you fuel the fire.”
The association said it had written to the Maharashtra government’s Sports Department seeking an explanation for the permission.
As per the report, it said it was not consulted before the permission was issued.
It is responsible for maintaining the ground and its pitches, which makes the lack of consultation a concern.
The shoot required a large set to be put up and artificial grass to be laid.
This left the association with no choice but to reschedule Under 14 and Under 16 inter-school matches.
MCA Apex Council member Nadim Memon said Azad Maidan was already losing space to activities unrelated to sport.
A section of the ground had been taken over for the Aqua Line Metro work.
The contractors had reportedly not moved out despite repeated reminders from the association.
The Mumbai Police also continued to occupy the premises instead of returning to their original location.
Memon questioned why a film shoot was being allowed when the ground was already dealing with these issues.
He accused the Sports Department of giving commercial bookings priority over the needs of young sportspersons.
Memon said its decisions were affecting the cricketing culture that Azad Maidan has supported for years.
“This is the first time a film shoot has taken place at Azad Maidan.
“Large sets were erected, and artificial grass was laid for the shoot of Pralay.
“This is not a film-shooting venue but a cricket ground where players hone their skills to progress to the international level.
“Our ongoing tournaments were disrupted because of the shoot. Who will take responsibility for this loss?
“You cannot commercially exploit a cricket ground by allowing a commercial film shoot.”
The report stated that the government had allowed Light Rays, the production house behind Pralay, to use 5,000 square yards of the ground.
The permission covered a six-hour shoot, and the company paid INR 40,000 for the booking.
It also deposited another 40,000 as a refundable security amount.
The permission was signed by Sports Department Under Secretary Ashok Damayyawar on October 30 and sent on November 2, 2026.
It came with conditions, including no vehicles on the pitches and no cooking or digging on the ground.
The production was also required to obtain an NOC from the MCA, which says it was not consulted.
Deputy Director of Sports Navnath Fartade defended the decision, citing a government resolution.
The resolution allows Azad Maidan to host non-sporting events for up to 30 days in a year.
The MCA is concerned that allowing commercial shoots could lead to more such bookings and leave even less room for cricket.
