A sense of anxiousness seeps into Bollywood as actors such as Aamir Khan and Kartik Aaryan test Covid-19 positive, bringing along a new set of financial woes. Director Amit Ravindernath Sharma has also tested positive, halting the shoot of Maidaan. Just after Aaryan was diagnosed, the shooting for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was put on hold. Khan, too, will resume work for Laal Singh Chaddha after recovering.

A similar thing happened when director Sanjay Leela Bhansali had tested positive, putting on hold Gangubai Kathiawadi. The shoot of JugJugg Jeeyo was also halted after Varun Dhawan, Neetu Kapoor and director Raj Mehta tested positive for Coronavirus. “Each day of shooting comes with expenditure. So, when the shooting gets halted, it does affect the budget,” opines Girish Johar, producer and trade analyst.

According to experts, however, not much can be done about the scenario except treading the path cautiously. “Following the guidelines brings a huge financial cost, and when shooting gets suspended, it leads to huge loss. But we can’t do anything about it,” says Anees Bazmee, director of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, who has tested negative for the virus, adding that, “Yeh time nafa, nuksan dekhne ka nahi hai.”

Sharing his insight, industry expert Jehil Thakkar says, “When certain SOPs were imposed for shooting, the cost went up by 20-25% due to SOPs requirements, limited crew on the set and elongated shooting timelines.”

The recent surge in cases in Mumbai has made the situation even trickier. “Every few days, we hear of films getting delayed due to talent and technicians testing positive. Delays of this magnitude raise the cost of production considerably, [that too] in a time when uncertainty looms large over theatrical business,” says producer Amar Butala.

A recap of last year’s standstill is what some people dread, but trade expert Joginder Tuteja says it won’t happen again as “we are much better prepared than we were last year”.