mid-day had reported that Vidya Balan, ending her seven-month break, will resume the shoot of Sherni by the third week of October (Play by the rules in the wild, October 7). Adhering to their plan, the unit — led by director Amit Masurkar — returned to the jungles of Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh yesterday. Before kicking off work, Balan and producer Vikram Malhotra conducted a puja with crew members at the location.

It is heard that Masurkar, in compliance with the shooting guidelines, chose a crew of 50 for the 35-day stint. Six Coronavirus watchdogs, who have been specially hired for the shoot, have instructed that no more than 35 people can be on the set at a time. "So, only those shooting the scene are allowed on the floor while the additional unit hands wait in safe zones. Vidya has brought only three people as part of her entourage. The unit will undergo weekly COVID-19 tests while their blood pressure and oxygen level are monitored twice daily," reveals a source.

Virtual workshops were conducted in the weeks leading to the shoot of the social drama, thus ensuring that the team would have a smooth run on the floor. The source adds, "Since we are filming in a forest, our shoots won't extend beyond 5 pm. So, after wrapping up the day's work, we plan to do readings of the next day's scenes at the hotel premises." The film, which sees Balan as a forest officer, focuses on the man-animal conflict.