Salman Khan’s ‘Maatrubhumi’ may be going through changes, making it difficult to lock its release date (Hindi-Chini bhai bhai, Bhaijaan giving that a try? March 17). But things appear to be moving fast on the superstar’s next with producer Dil Raju and director Vamshi Paidipally. Industry insiders have told mid-day that the actor is expected to kick off the actioner around April 14. 

Dil Raju. Pic/Instagram

Naturally, preparations are underway in full swing in Mumbai. We’ve heard that a massive set is being constructed at the SRPF Ground in Goregaon. A source close to the production shared, “This isn’t a regular set, it’s practically a mini-city. The set has been designed to resemble a dense urban area, which will be shown as a high-conflict zone where a large-scale action sequence plays out. Think of it almost like an industrial township.” The decision to build such an elaborate set-up stems from the film’s action-heavy narrative.

A new song of ‘Maatrubhumi’ was recently released. Pic/Youtube

While casting for the yet-untitled movie is being finalised, the production team is racing against time to have everything ready by mid-April. The source added, “Many elements are being pieced together simultaneously — set design, action choreography, and final casting. The goal is to hit the ground running.”