Actor-director Sagar Puranik and his team faced an unexpected ordeal during their 15-day reconnaissance for shoot locations in Ladakh, as they found themselves stranded due to a severe cold wave. The cold wave, affecting North India, led to the cancellation of their booked flights due to low visibility. Attempting to adapt, they booked a train, but it was delayed by 10 hours, forcing them to spend a night at the railway station.
Sagar recounts the challenging experiences, stating, “There was a severe cold wave throughout North India, and we were also affected by it. We had booked flights to travel from one destination to another, but due to low visibility, they were canceled. So we booked a train, but that too, was delayed by 10 hours. That night, my team and I slept in the railway station! Even there, we weren’t able to see past 50 meters.” He further describes the initial stay filled with challenges, including reckless driving by cabbies and accommodations in questionable hotel rooms.
The difficulties did not end there, as Sagar reveals, “While on the recce, I had a bad cold, so my lungs were not operating at full capacity. I suffered from acute mountain sickness and had to be hospitalized because I needed oxygen. In the extreme temperature of -18 degrees, we could not even use the heater as it would combust any available oxygen. All the clothes and blankets in the world couldn’t save us from the cold at night.” The experience highlights the unexpected challenges filmmakers may face while exploring potential shooting locations.
