Bastar’s contradictions, the bewitching natural beauty and the bloody Maoist violence, appear to have wooed Bollywood. Actor Aamir Khan is set to visit mountainous regions of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division in December to shoot his upcoming Hindi movie on Naxalism — Lal Atank, local film industry sources said here on Thursday.
Film’s director John Mathew Mattan, who had directed Aamir-starrer movie Sarfarosh in 1999, has recently visited some locations in the forested and hilly areas in Dantewada and Bastar districts. He had also held discussions with the local police on Maoist menace and security situation in the area.
“John has visited Barsoo and Teldada areas, located in the laps of lush green mountains and buzzing with numerous waterfalls, in Dantewada and Bastar districts respectively last month to select sites for shooting the movie. He also visited Chitrakoot mountain, which houses the highest waterfall in the country, better known as mini-Niagra,” Chollywood (Chhattisgarh cinema) industry sources said. Local film industry sources said the shooting for Lal Atank may begin in mid-December.