Big B shares work ‘anxieties’ as HC quashes ‘discriminatory’ orders on senior artistes
Mumbai, Aug. 9: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has expressed “anxieties” over being able to find work opportunities amid the coronavirus pandemic as a septuagenarian.
His comments came after Bombay high court on Friday quashed the provisions of the two circulars issued by the Maharashtra government that barred TV and film artistes above 65 years of age from resuming shootings and related work during the coronavirus lockdown, terming them “discriminatory”.
The Bollywood veteran, who returned home after
testing negative for Covid-19 last week, said it may be “packers” for the senior workforce in the film industry as legal procedures take time to come to effect.
“There are of course many other anxieties that trouble the mind. Government authorities have stipulated that those at 65 age and above cannot go out to work... For people like me, my profession and my 78 yrs, it’s packers then!” Bachchan, 78, wrote on his blog on Saturday.
The court was hearing two petitions, one filed by 70year-old actor Pramod Pandey, and another by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA).
According to government resolutions, while the state was permitting a gradual resumption of some activities, including shootings and pre and post-production work of films, television and OTT programmes, such cast and crew members who were above 65 years of age would not be permitted to report to work at sets or studios.
The regulations barred such artistes from remaining present in studios or on shoot sets.
In the meanwhile, the senior actor also asked his fans and followers to suggest alternate career options for him.
“Are there any alternate work jobs for me, that the Ef could in their kindness suggest, in case everything goes down in the Courts?” he said.