The production of the upcoming Malayalam film Half, a vampire action thriller directed by Samjad, has been abruptly halted in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
The film, which stars Ranjith Sajeev and rising actress Aishwarya Raj, had been shooting with a crew of over 200 members for the past ten days. However, following shell attacks near the region on Wednesday night, the team decided to suspend filming due to security concerns and return home.
Aishwarya Raj, who recently featured in Officer on Duty, recounted the harrowing experience on her Instagram story. “At first, I thought it was a mock drill by the Indian Armed Forces,” she said. “Only later did I realise the sounds and lights in the sky were actually shells flying around. It was terrifying.”
The attack caused a power outage in the town, adding to the tension and uncertainty. The actress described the moment she switched on the television in her hotel room and realised the gravity of the situation.
Producer Anne Sajeev confirmed to Manorama Online that filming has been paused indefinitely. “We hope to resume the shoot once the situation improves,” she said.
The crew had originally planned a 90-day shooting schedule in and around Jaisalmer, including areas close to the India-Pakistan border. With the area now under heightened alert following reports of Pakistani drone activity on 8th and 9th May successfully neutralised by the Indian Armed Forces—the continuation of the project in the region is no longer viable.
Aishwarya Raj added, “We’ve packed up and are waiting to travel by road to Ahmedabad, from where we’ll fly to Kochi. It’s been an unnerving experience for all of us.”
Half explores the dark, fantastical tale of two half-vampires beings caught between humanity and the undead and was set to bring a unique blend of horror and action to Malayalam cinema.