Not bursting this ‘bubble’ is the key to celebs’ safety
When the lockdown was imposed back in March, actors had no option but to give up work and stay at home. Soon they found innovative ways to resume work from home — shooting music videos, short films and even script narrations. And now, the actors are shooting in controlled bio-bubbles, which minimise the risk of the spread of the virus.
Tahir Raj Bhasin, who recently shot an ad film in Delhi, was inside a bio-bubble for the whole duration of his stay. “Working with N95s and face shields in the heat takes some getting used to but it is the price one pays for a sense of security. The real challenge will be to maintain the level of vigilance on a film or series, with much longer shoot schedules,” says Bhasin.
Talking about the shooting process amid the pandemic, Gurmeet Choudhary, who resumed shooting for his horror film, The Wife, in Jaipur, reveals that he, along with all the cast and crew, were tested before they flew to Jaipur. “We all were head-to-toe in PPE, masks, visors, gloves. We were tested again on landing. The set is right near the hotel, so we have practically no commute.
The shooting floor is divided into sections, with people getting colourcoded access cards to maintain social distancing,” he says.
The cast and crew of Bell Bottom, including Akshay Kumar, Huma S Qureshi and Lara Dutta, among others, flew to the UK and will stay in a bio-bubble during the entire shooting schedule. “Health and safety of our colleagues is our priority,” shares Monisha Advani, the co-producer of the film.
Shedding light on the concept of bio-bubble, trade analyst Atul Mohan says, “The entire unit
stays together in the same hotel; they aren’t supposed to go out for shopping or walks. They only travel between the hotel and the shoot location. Everybody is assigned the same car and driver every day. If anyone develops Covid symptoms, they are taken out of the bubble and other people are scanned.”
Rahul Dev, who also resumed shoot for a web series, Poison season 2, says, “You have to live with the fact that this is a newage handicap. But yes I admit, it is very difficult working in these trying circumstances,” he explains.