Team Dhak Dhak shoots at world's highest motorable pass Khardung La: 'This journey pushed our limits'

The cast and crew of Dhak Dhak, a film about four women's journey to the highest motorable pass in the world, recently created a record in Indian cinema, while shooting. Dhak Dhak team has now become the first Hindi film unit to ride from Delhi to Khardung La – the world's highest motorable pass. The four lead actors – Ratna Pathak Shah, Dia Mirza, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Sanjana Sanghi, posed together after arriving at Khardung La. Also Read| Dia Mirza calls shooting for Dhak Dhak in Ladakh ‘experience of a lifetime’

The team travelled amidst heavy rainfall, sandstorms, and temperatures ranging from 48 degrees to -2 degrees to arrive at Khardung La to film a scene with all the lead actors. The cast and the crew were on the road from Delhi to Leh for 40 days to film the road trip drama. The scene shot at Khardung La also marks the wrap of the Ladakh schedule of Dhak Dhak's filming.

Looking back at the experience, Dia Mirza said, “The most memorable instance for us as artists on this film was making it to the Khardung La pass! It holds such deep significance to each of our characters in the story and each one of us felt it." Dia also thanked her team and the Indian Army for making the experience smoother. Fatima Sana Shaikh shared that she was particularly excited about this schedule as she loves going on bike rides, but the experience was much more than what she had expected. She said, "This journey pushed my limits, personally and as an actor. It was an unbelievable and exhilarating experience to shoot there (Khardung La) and by the end of it I know that I’ve learnt so much more about myself as a performer and a person.”

Ratna Pathak Shah recounted the trip as an unexpected journey, saying, “If someone had told me 6 months ago that I would be riding a bike all the way to Ladakh at 65, I would have laughed!" She added that the film has been special to her in many ways, as it forced her to face her fears, and taught her to trust herself, her colleagues, and her crew in stressful situations. For Sanjana Sanghi, it was a 'larger than life' moment. She said, "Being on the road for weeks had been a transformational journey, culminating at the breathtaking Khardung La pass. It’s been challenging and physically grueling, yet tremendously satisfying.”

Dhak Dhak is co-produced by Taapsee Pannu's Outside Films production, in association with Viacom18 studios and BLM Pictures. It is co-written by Parijat Joshi and Tarun Dudeja and directed by Tarun Dudeja. It is scheduled for theatrical release in 2023.