Why going for a shoot is like a war for Debina

The film industry is slowly getting back on track after being out of action for over three months. With television shows having begun shooting, actor Debina Bonnerjee, too, is excited to be back on the set of her mythological fantasy show. However, she feels shooting amid Covid-19 outbreak is like “going to a war”.

“You’ve to equip yourself, never let your guard down. Shooting is a little difficult than what it looks like. Even though rules and regulations look okay on paper, some things aren’t possible. Like, that hairdressers have to wear a PPE kit. Of course, wearing one is not feasible for a good 12 hours,” she shares.

Admitting that she was “extremely paranoid” during the first two days of shoot, Bonnerjee, 37, says, “My dress was so long, it was almost sweeping the floor. This thought was constantly there at the back of my mind that I’m sweeping all the coronavirus... Even if I had to come and sit, I’d wash my legs with a hand wash first.”

And the concern over touching minimum things on the set and not letting anyone come in contact with her shooting props is only adding to challenges. “I had to wear a headgear the whole day. Earlier, I would remove that heavy piece after every shot and give it to my dress dada. Right now, I have to keep wearing it, thinking who will I hand it to? I will have to again sanitise it if somebody else is holding it,” she says.

How is she managing her shooting schedule with restrictions? Bonnerjee says, “I have certain restrictions in my residential building. I’ve to be back by 7pm...i can’t shoot beyond six.”

Debina Bonnerjee