The Casablanca-like love story is set during the Second World War, and producer Sajid Nadiadwala, managed a coup of sorts by getting permission to shoot in virgin locales of Arunachal Pradesh where the Indo-Burma border was recreated.
The crew was staying in a hotel in Rottung and while the locations are picture-perfect, the living conditions were at best spartan even for the stars.
But neither of them complained, even though Kangana is playing a diva of the '40s. Even the nawab, Saif Ali Khan, who was down for a couple of days, soldiered through long drives to and between Pasighat, Rottung and Kibang, sometimes an eight nine-hour journey one way, and long treks through jungles.
Since the sun rises in the east, days dawned early and it was action from 4 am. But they also packed up early, around 4-5 pm, once the light faded. And as there wasn't much to do except for work, everyone would be in bed by 8 pm.
Shahid couldn't skip his workouts as he plays a soldier in the film and needed to be in peak physical condition for the action scenes. He's never been fitter.
Vishal Bharadwaj's Rangoon also marks Shahid's hatrick with the director who has already worked on 2 hit films previously!
Rangoon is produced by filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala and features Shahid with Saif Ali Khan and Kangana Ranaut in lead roles. The film is all set to release on October 14, 2016.