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Akshay Kumar shoots for Baby in Abu Dhabi

Akshay Kumar shot a major action sequence for his upcoming film, Baby in Abu Dhabi. Though doing any kind of action sequences is like a child’s play for Kumar, this one in particular wasn’t that easy as he as well as the unit encountered burning sand dunes, harsh heat winds and a temperatures which soared above 50 degrees in Abu Dhabi.
The shoot also involved outdoor action. Everyone was constantly heading under the shade and even pouring water over their heads. Kumar, however, was unaffected and behaved as if the temperature was cool. Seeing him look as cool as a cucumber, the morale of the unit too was lifted.
“Not even once the shoot was cancelled or postponed. Hats off to Akshay and the entire team for being such professionals,” said Bhushan Kumar, the producer.
“We have shot Baby in the wet and cold hilltops of Nepal and the hectic and busy streets of Istanbul and Delhi. However, it was the scorching heat of Abu Dhabi desert that took a toll on the team,” says Akshay Kumar as he adds that the team used to start setting up for the action portions before sunrise in the hope of surviving a full day without severe dehydration kicking in. “I’m not the one to be affected too much by heat, for I love the warmth in my bones, but Abu Dhabi tested my endurance and strength also. The crew had a tough time, for I was at least handed an umbrella every now and then, but hats off to Neeraj Pandey’s (the director) team, who behaved like war troopers who kept pushing themselves to give the best under a hyperactive action choreographer who never seemed to get tired!” he added.
For the actor, working with Cyril (Raffaelli), one of Hollywood’s top action director, was an experience that he will never forget. “Nothing seems impossible for him and the team and I bounced off on his energy and enthusiasm to get the job done twice as fast. Starting off at the crack of dawn, an entire palace to ourselves, making the most of every minute and pushing ourselves to mental and physical limits, I have to admit, this was one of the most gruelling yet memorable shoots of my life!” concludes Kumar.