ARCLIGHTS, ACTION, PRECAUTIONS: INDUSTRY CAUTIOUS
There’s excitement, despite the apprehension about some norms
In what is naturally a big relief for the entertainment industry, the Maharashtra government this week allowed shoots across the state to resume, subject to certain norms, such as no shooting in containment zones.
But there’s apprehensions. Ashoke Pandit, chief advisor, Federation of Western India Cine Employees feels two norms will be tough to follow — barring people above 65 on sets, and having an ambulance and doctor on set. “We don’t want (actors like) Amitabh Bachchan to sit at home, plus we have senior technicians too. And we have to keep an ambulance on every set. You need them at places of emergency. Will so many be available? It’s not possible,” he tells us.
ACTORS HOLD THE KEY
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says the world is now BC (Before Corona) and AC (After Corona). “The important stakeholders are actors. Ask them if they are ready to come on sets. Of course they want to complete pending assignments, but also want safety,” he says.
RARING TO GO
Director Milap Zaveri was set to begin shooting Satyameva Jayate 2 with John Abraham, when the lockdown hit in
March. “Now, I will sit with the producers and chalk out how to get on floors ASAP,” he says.
THE CASTING FACTOR
A practice followed by casting directors in the lockdown has been, whenever possible, to opt for video calls. Abhishek Banerjee, actor and casting director, says, “We need to do as much work possible without direct contact. No matter what, we cannot risk anybody.”
GREY AREAS
Actor Sushant Singh, honorary general secretary of Cine and TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA), says there are ‘grey areas’, such as payment. “TV works on a 90-day cycle, it can’t continue. When artistes now resume work, it will be without the previous payments,” he shares. There’s also a cap on the number of people on sets. Trade expert Atul Mohan says earlier, there was one person for production and actors mostly had one attendant, so it shouldn’t be a problem.