Ranveer Singh’s next film Pralay has found itself at the centre of an unexpected storm before the production can settle into its Mumbai schedule. A shoot at the city’s iconic Azad Maidan has triggered a strong protest from the Mumbai Cricket Association after Under 14 and Under 16 interschool fixtures were pushed back, opening up a larger clash between commercial filming and one of Mumbai’s most storied cricketing spaces.
What has intensified the row is how formally the shoot was cleared. The Maharashtra Sports Department gave the production access to 5,000 square yards of government land at Azad Maidan for a six hour window, charging Rs. 40,000 as rental and taking another Rs. 40,000 as refundable security. The approval was signed on October 30, 2026, and moved forward on November 2, 2026, placing an unusually visible official stamp on a shoot that has now drawn sporting resistance.
Mca Objects To Disruption At Azad Maidan
For the MCA, the issue goes beyond scheduling. Azad Maidan is regarded as a vital nursery for young cricketers, and the association’s anger reflects a deeper concern over how the ground is being used. The presence of large film infrastructure at a venue tied so closely to the city’s cricket culture has clearly touched a nerve.
MCA Apex Council member Nadim Memon said, “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.”
He further added, “Azad Maidan’s sporting culture is being affected by the Sports Department. Instead of supporting sports, it is allowing commercial bookings at the ground…We are working to nurture young cricketers and organise several interstate tournaments. But because of the film shoot, we had to postpone matches. How can the Sports Department allow this?”
Conditions Imposed On The Shoot
That backlash is especially striking because the permission itself carried multiple safeguards on paper. The production team was barred from taking vehicles onto the pitches and from any activity that could damage the ground, including cooking or digging. It also had to secure permissions from the police, traffic department and BMC, obtain a no objection certificate from the MCA, and submit an undertaking on Rs. 100 stamp paper.
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Pralay is directed by Jai Mehta and stars Ranveer Singh alongside Kalyani Priyadarshan. The film is being produced by Ananya Birla, Hansal Mehta, Sahil Saigal and Ranveer Singh.
Ranveer Singh’s Recent And Upcoming Work
The controversy has put one of Ranveer Singh’s major current productions under a sharper spotlight. The actor’s recent releases include Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023 with Alia Bhatt and Singham Again in 2024, where he returned to Rohit Shetty’s cop universe. He also headlined Dhurandhar in 2025 and Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which released in theatres on March 19, 2026.
For now, the dispute has shifted attention from Pralay’s scale to the larger question of how Mumbai’s landmark public grounds should be used, and whether official clearances alone are enough when a production collides with the city’s sporting ecosystem.
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