Producer of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah that topped TRPs says team’s safety bigger concern
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 2, 2020)

Last week, TV serials returned to work after three months of no shoots and reruns occupying prime time slots. However, amid the clamour to produce fresh content for the audience, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (TMKOC) stands out. The makers of the Sab TV show, which registered the highest ratings alongside telly mythologicals Ramayan, Shree Krishna and Mahabharat during the lockdown, are in no hurry to get back to the sets.

Producer Asit Kumarr Modi asserts, “We’re not in a race to see who resumes shooting first or who airs fresh episodes first. We have to ensure that everyone is safe. We’re discussing the way forward on video calls with the team. If we start and the guidelines change, it will impact the shoot. So, all I can say right now is that we will return to work soon.”

Unlike many of its counterparts, TMKOC features an ensemble cast, which would make it difficult to adhere to certain SOPs, like the presence of limited number of people on sets. Asserting that his team’s health and well-being are paramount, Modi says, “We must follow the prescribed guidelines and take all necessary precautions, but we have a large cast, and everyone has their own USP. Sabse pehle zaroori hai ki artistes ka dar nikal jaaye. Cases in Mumbai are increasing and while the authorities have relaxed certain restrictions, they are also bound by certain limitations.”