Anupam Shyam Ojha, who passed away on August 9 due to multiple organ failure, had breathed life into myriad roles in his three-decade career in showbiz. The veteran actor became a household name, courtesy his menacing act of patriarch Thakur Sajjan Singh in 'Mann Ki Awaaz Pratigya 2'. For Mohit Malik, who played his illegitimate son in the drama, sharing screen space with Shyam was a matter of honour.  

“By the time I joined Pratigya, he was a big star. I was nervous about my first scene with him, but he put me at ease,” recounts Malik. He says that the veteran actor had a brilliant command over the language. “I loved the ethics he had towards the craft. Observing him on set was sheer joy.”

After the show wrapped up in 2012, the actor had the good fortune to share screen space with him again in Doli Armaano Ki, where Shyam played the role of Garjan Singh Rathore. Malik’s admiration for the senior actor is evident as he says that he would become one with the character even before the cameras rolled. “As soon as Shyam ji finished his make-up, he would become the character physically and mentally. We’d discuss his craft and the roles he played over lunch every day. There was so much to learn from his experiences.”

Besides being a known face in television, Shyam had appeared in several Hindi films. The actor was first noticed in Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen (1994), in which he played a mediator between the dacoits and the Thakurs. Having worked on Shyam Benegal’s television show Amaravati Ki Kathayein in 1995, he subsequently featured in a supporting role in the auteur’s film, Sardari Begum. He went on to star in Dil Se, Satya and Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, among other films.

Last year, even after shoots were allowed to resume, the government guidelines had barred senior actors above 65 years from shooting due to Coronavirus. Later, when things got better, the dadidadas and nana-nanis joined the shows. However, now with the surge in cases and the recent stalling of shoots in Maharashtra, after which TV shows have shifted base to other cities, senior actors will again go missing from daily soaps.

Production houses feel it’s safer not to have them travel to different locations in the current scenario. Hence, storylines are being tweaked to justify their absence for now. The actors are naturally unhappy, but they understand that it is in their interest.

Senior Wagles, Aanjjan Srivastav and Bharti Achrekar from Wagle Ki Duniya - Nayi Peedhi Naye Kissey, are not travelling to Silvassa, where the shooting is currently taking place. Srivastava says, “I am eager to get back on the sets, but what can we do? Many crew members had tested positive earlier, and though they have tested negative now, I feel it is better to wait till the situation improves.” Ghanshyam Nayak, aka Natukaka of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, says, “I miss being on the show, and I hope that they start my track as soon as things improve. But the situation is scary, and I can understand why they are delaying my entry.”

Some actors themselves have chosen to stay away. Like theatre and TV actor Arvind Vaidya, who’s a part of Anupamaa, has informed the production house that he will not shoot for the show till the COVID situation improves and the production house has also supported his decision. He says, “Many people from the team tested positive a few weeks ago. Since I had tested negative, I continued shooting for a while. I have to look after my health, so I informed the production house that I won’t be able to shoot. Sometime later, after the state government imposed restrictions, the shoot was shifted to Silvassa. I am a senior actor and if I want to continue living a healthy life, it is important that I don’t travel to another location or shoot in the current situation. I am happy that the production supported my decision.”

Anupam Shyam, who plays an important role in Mann Ki Awaaz — Pratigya 2, has also refrained from travelling to Silvassa. He says, “I have health issues and everyone is aware of it. I have to undergo dialysis and so it’s not possible for me to relocate to another city. I will resume when they come back here.”

Himani Shivpuri, who is currently seen in Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, feels that it’s best to be patient in the current situation. Shivpuri, who had tested positive a few months ago, says, “It is scary to step out and relocate to a different city right now. Last year, I got COVID-19 because I continued shooting and did not want to hamper work, but this year, I will have to wait and see how things go.” Some of the senior actors, who took their first dose of vaccination, are now waiting to take the second.

Swati Chitnis, who plays Kartik’s grandmother in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, says, “I am waiting for my second jab and if I travel outside, how will I take it? I don’t want to delay the vaccination process. I am happy that the production has supported me in this decision. I tested positive last year and I want to follow all safety protocols because of my age.”

Moving to a new place can be very inconvenient for the senior actors, makers say. Producer J D Majethia says, “I don’t think it is safe for them to travel outside Mumbai during the pandemic. Also, it may not be very comfortable there like it is on the set, where we shoot with an airconditioner. So, during summer, it is avoidable. Secondly, if the shoot is at a resort, it requires a lot of walking around. The food, too, may not be right for senior citizens. We will wait to see how things pan out after a week or two.”