Location Diaries: Vaibhavi Shandilya - Aerial adventure

When shooting for the pan-Indian Dhruva Sarja-starrer, Martin, an action thriller based on a story written by Arjun Sarja, actor Vaibhavi Shandilya travelled to several parts of the country. 

"We shot across the country, from Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to Karnataka. One part was planned in Leh and Ladakh but our flight from Delhi got unexpectedly cancelled. So, stuck at the Delhi airport, we were wondering where to shoot instead. Finally, not wanting to waste time, we decided to shoot in Kashmir once again as we were familiar with the locations. So, we took the flight to Srinagar. But that became an unforgettable journey as we faced a big storm."

 
Elaborating on the incident, she says, "There was extreme turbulence and the plane started shaking badly. Air pockets were so heavy, that our aircraft dropped by 4000 feet at one go! We thought we might crash at any time. Nine of our team members, including Dhruva Sarja, were on the flight. I had a severe panic attack. I thought I wouldn't see my family again and started typing messages to them. I remembered Mom's words and started praying ardently. Luckily, after 15 most harrowing minutes, things cleared up and we were all safe. Even today when I think about it,  I get shaken up at the memory." 

Shooting in cold weather was an immense challenge for the actors. "Shooting in minus 10 degrees Celsius was extremely tough. Before the shot we would be shivering and having goosebumps due to the cold. Then we'd take a very deep breath and start performing. Moreover, for me, performing clad in a glamorous saree in such weather was all the more tough."

Shooting the action and adventure portions in the mountains was also a huge challenge, "At times the terrain was very rugged and dangerous. The unit was far from us for several shots as Dhruva and I ran across the mountainous terrain. Only the drone camera was nearby, capturing our moves. At times, the snow was so deep, our feet would start sinking in till we were knee-deep in the snow! It was Dhruva who helped me regain balance and kept me from harm in such situations. I couldnt have done those shots without his help. It was one of the most challenging shoots in my career."

On her experience working with Dhruva Sarja, the actor says, "He is a very kindhearted, respectful and supportive as a co-star. He was always very encouraging and motivating. I remember especially one long scene where I had to perform with a lengthy dialogue and a lot of emotions, all in one take. So I wanted to know the meaning of every word in order to perform better. Dhruva was very patient, helping me understand every word and encouraging me to take my time learning the lines."

Being a big foodie, Vaibhavi tried the cuisines of every place she visited.  "At Agra, I tried the local cuisine while in Kashmir I enjoyed sampling all the sumptous Kashmiri cuisine at the hotel restaurant during dinner after shoot."  She signs off, "I'm super excited about Martin which has become an international film releasing in 13 languages. It has been one of my most challenging and exciting shooting experiences."