Brangelina arrive in Pune, finally

PUNE: Hollywood’s hottest stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt arrived here on Thursday for a month-long shooting schedule of their film on American journalist Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped and slain by militants in Karachi.

Jolie, Pitt and a few members of their family arrived at Pune International Airport at about 3 pm by a chartered plane belonging to Raymonds company, airport sources said. They then drove in two cars to Le Meridien Hotel, sources added.

There was not much security for the Hollywood stars whose visit has generated a lot of interest in the media. The production unit, besides booking two posh hotels for the entourage, have also rented a couple of private bungalows for the shooting of their film. One of the bungalows on Baner Road in the outskirts of the city also has a helipad.

The film ‘A Mighty Heart’, scripted by the slain journalist’s wife Marianne, was being co-produced by Pitt’s production company and Angelina is featuring as Pearl’s spouse.    Pune was chosen as part of its landscape has similarity with Karachi where Marianne spent a month from the day she learnt of Pearl’s kidnapping till he was beheaded by his abductors.