Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur) - Hindustan Times (Jaipur) - City
TOP ACTORS GET TO ENDORSEMENTS WITH VENGEANCE
They are back — or are they? Well, it sure looks like Bollywood stars are in the mood to resume work, albeit with baby steps — through endorsements. Actor Akshay Kumar was the first to shoot in the lockdown on an outdoor site, and shot for an awareness campaign on Covid-19. Ayushmann Khurrana shot for an ad in Chandigarh, where he’s living now with his family. Vidya Balan stepped out to shoot for an ad at Mehboob Sudios, Mumbai. And Arjun Kapoor too, we learned, recently shot for a commercial.
Experts feel it’s a sign that big actors are ready to test the waters. Producer Pritish Nandy says, “Endorsement shoots are very short...for half or one minute. What we need to do is test shooting on a continuing basis, which requires another kind of discipline, and entirely different set of protocols.”
Ad filmmaker Vinil Mathew, who made his Bollywood directorial debut with Hasee Toh Phasee (2014), agrees everyone is in a ‘wait and watch’ mode. “They’re all seeing how these days of shooting go, as commercials are easier. If it comes to feature films, it’s a different ball game. In this weather, for people to wear PPE suits, masks and gloves is almost impossible,” he says.
Given that actors had been missing from the work space for three months, until recently, endorsements might be an alternative route of income. Nandy concurs, “Ads make a lot more money than movies do. Proportionately it’s higher, as you work less, you make more money, except that work won’t be remembered.”
In fact, many agree that while film shoots on a large scale are yet to begin, shooting of commercials will allow people from all departments to earn a living. Amit Sharma, who directed Badhaai Ho (2018), and recently shot an ad film in Goa, says, “Somewhere we’ll have to normalise the situation by taking care of the time of the shoot, and taking precautions. Till when will people sit at home? Those who are associated with filmmaking — the light men, dressing department, they don’t have money to even buy food. For that reason also (ad shoots have started). The commercial I just shot, there were not more than 10 people, everybody was in the background.”
While these instances certainly show that actors are prepared to venture out, trade analyst Taran Adarsh feels they were not apprehensive in the first place. “It’s not that the actors aren’t ready, the film producers also have to work out the details. For an ad shoot, you don’t require 200 people on the set. So, for actors — of course money is involved — it’s also more convenient. If they’ve been approached for an ad, and they can do it in a safe atmosphere, why not?” he says.
Trade expert Atul Mohan says big stars shooting for ads is a “confidence building measure”, one that will inspire their colleagues in the industry to also step out and work. “The actors will share their experience, and tips with their co-stars and that’ll make others comfortable. Right now, a positive mindset is needed. You’ve to live and survive with the coronavirus, till a vaccine is made. This will set an example for the rest of the film fraternity,” he tells us.