THIPPAGONDANAHALLI: Why did the film crew choose to shoot the climax sequence of the Kannada film ‘Masti Gudi’ at the reservoir that is filled with chemical effluents, ask locals.
In a helicopter stunt gone awry, Raghav Uday and Anil Kumar, the two actors, are feared drowned in TG Halli reservoir.
Several locals who had gathered near the reservoir to witness the rescue operations on Tuesday said it was a bad idea to jump from the helicopter into the lake as chemical effluents from Peenya industrial area and Nelamangala are diverted here. Locals said the the scene should have been rehearsed with safety harnesses before the final shoot.
Another problem is the overgrown weeds that are visible across the reservoir. Search and rescue officials were seen clearing the weeds to go deep into the lake.
An official at the reservoir said, “We knew the film crew did not have permission to do aerial shots. They may have hired the helicopter on an hourly basis because they seemed to be in a hurry to complete the shooting. Even professional divers are unable to swim in the lake due to poor visibility.”
Some locals felt that local fishermen should have been hired while shooting the scene as they were good swimmers. However, even fishermen were apprehensive of venturing into the lake.
Imran, a fisherman who was part of the search operation, said, “I am shocked that the film crew chose this place to shoot. Even though we know how to swim, we never swim in the lake as it is contaminated. The weeds and the dark green water evidently show that the water is dirty. We fish only in some parts of the reservoir.”
“A year ago, two students from Bengaluru drowned here and their bodies were fished out after three days. You can imagine how dirty the water is,” he added.
Holding a tangle of weeds near the reservoir’s banks, Ramappa, a local, said that such weeds are found all over the lake. He added that weeds are more in deeper parts of the lake.
A diver who was part of the search operations said, “I was wearing a diving suit but there is no way a person can swim in the lake. The water is so dirty that you can’t see anything.”
Speaking to Express, H S Varadarajan, Deputy Director (admin), Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services, said, “The depth of the water is around 50 feet but the divers can’t see anything beyond one foot.
The weeds and silt have obstructed the search operations. It is an advantage that the lake is confined and water is less but poor visibility has hampered operations. We also searched near the banks. Even if we use powerful lights, I don’t think anything would be visible as the water is murky.”