Rajiv Rai, the director of the 1992 action thriller "Vishwatma," recently recounted an unsettling incident during the film's shoot in Kenya. In a recent interview, Rai revealed that two of the film's actors were arrested for violating the strict night-time regulations in Nairobi.

"Vishwatma," starring Sunny Deol and Naseeruddin Shah, holds the distinction of being the first Indian film to be shot extensively in Kenya, primarily in Nairobi and Mombasa. Rai explained that the decision to film in Africa was driven by the story's requirements and the cost-effectiveness of shooting there. He also had established contacts and collaborations in the region, which facilitated the production.

However, the shoot was not without its challenges. Nairobi, as Rai described, had stringent rules regarding nighttime movement and the possession of foreign currency. "You can't roam in Nairobi at night," Rai stated. "And, you weren't allowed to carry dollars along with you, not even a single penny. So, we were in a foreign country, the actor's had 10-15 dollars on them for shopping. If you get caught there, they can shoot you. It was a tough rule country".

According to Rai, two actors from "Vishwatma" were arrested for being out at 2 AM with a small amount of dollars. Rai said of the environment, "The sequence was like that, a foreign country, army everywhere, shooting down somebody was normal". Rai did not name the actors involved, but he emphasized the seriousness of the situation, highlighting the potential danger they faced. Thanks to Rai's network, the actors were eventually released. Following the incident, they were cautioned to avoid going out at night.

Despite this incident and other hurdles, "Vishwatma" was a successful film, remembered as a significant action thriller in Indian cinema. The film also starred Chunky Panday, Sonam, Divya Bharti, Amrish Puri, Raza Murad, and Jyotsna Singh.