Start at ground zero, before aiming for sky

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Last month, Hrithik Roshan kicked off the shoot of Fighter at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam, after which director Siddharth Anand called time on the project. Reason - the director wants to dedicate the next few weeks to his January release, Pathaan. So, what happens on the Fighter front in the interim? We hear the makers are setting the stage for the second schedule that will kick off in February. In keeping with Anand's ambitious vision for the aerial action thriller - that also stars Anil Kapoor and Deepika Padukone - the team is planning to shoot the next leg at the Indian Air Force Academy at Dundigal, which is situated 43 kilometres from Hyderabad.

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Sources tell us that the makers are seeking permission to film in the non-restricted areas of the defence service training institute. The academy is central to the second schedule, during which Roshan will shoot the early years of his fighter pilot protagonist. A source reveals, "During this stint, Hrithik's character will be seen at the early stage of his journey as an Air Force cadet. It will trace how the protagonist went from being an ordinary boy, to one of the best fighter pilots. Anil will not be a part of this schedule."

Deepika Padukone and Siddharth Anand

The team has also charted out a back-up plan, should the request to film at the IAF Academy be turned down. In such a scenario, an elaborate set, designed along the lines of the Dundigal academy, will be built in Mumbai. "Production designer Rajat Poddar and his team, along with the director, have already visited many air bases as part of their research to build sets that are detailed and authentic. They will build an additional set-up that will serve as the backdrop for the passing-out parade, which is held to mark the successful completion of the flying cadets and presentation of the Wings to them. It will be a key scene in the film." The source adds that Padukone may join the unit at a later stage to film some flashback scenes.

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Anand remained unavailable for comment.