As Bhakarwadi unit resumes work after crew member's demise due to COVID-19, producer JD Majethia introduces additional safety measures to ensure the team's well-being
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; August 5, 2020)

The unit of the popular show Bhakarwadi suffered a severe blow when Abdul Ansari, who served as a tailor in the crew, passed away due to Coronavirus on July 21. Producer J D Majethia says that as soon as Ansari, 38, was diagnosed with the virus, the cast and crew was screened. Eight members subsequently tested positive. The producer, who is unable to come to terms with the loss of the unit hand, says, "We had been adopting all safety measures, so it came as a shock to the entire team."

The unit resumed the shoot of the comedy on July 25, four days after Ansari's demise. The Mira Road set was already equipped with a sanitisation tunnel, and members would mandatorily wear masks and practise social distancing. Now, the studio has introduced additional precautionary measures, which includes providing the team with Vitamin C and zinc supplements daily. "We distribute three vitamin tablets, including Limcee and Zincovit, that work as immunity boosters. The crew is also provided with kadha [a concoction of herbs and spices] and nimbu paani every three hours. The least we can do is strengthen our immunity at this point. We have installed a UV machine that helps disinfect items on set."

Majethia is in the process of clearing Abdul's insurance. "I am constantly in touch with his family and will do everything in my capacity to clear his insurance at the earliest," he says.

The crew on the Umbergaon set of RadhaKrishn

As the TV industry returns to work after three months, mid-day brings dope from sets of Bhakarwadi, Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein, RadhaKrishn about shooting in the post-Coronavirus world
Mohar Basu, Uma Ramasubramanian, Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; June 26, 2020)

On Thursday, actor-producer J D Majethia drove down to the all-familiar set of Bhakarwadi in Mira Road after 100 days. The joy of returning to work was tinged with an unusual sense of caution. Majethia — who, as the chairman of the TV & web wing of the Indian Film & Television Producers' Council (IFTPC), played an active role in enabling television producers to resume shooting — arrived on the set, with Deven Bhojani, an hour before the cast and crew to ensure the shoot kicked off on the right foot.

Day One began with the producer reiterating the guidelines to the team. Majethia had called only 30 per cent of the original crew, comprising actors Bhojani, Akshay Kelkar, Akshita Mudgal and Paresh Ganatra, and a handful of technicians. As a safety measure, the studio had lockers installed at the entrance. "Before they enter the set, they have to remove their footwear and wear the pair of slippers provided by us. We have provided umbrellas that everybody walks around with, thereby ensuring that social distancing is followed. We have marked everyone's position, and the actors and technicians have to sit in the designated areas. As per the guidelines, we also have a nurse on the set who checked everyone's temperature before letting them in," explains Majethia. While the actors had to mandatorily wear masks and gloves when not filming a scene, the technicians sported them all day long. The handful of spot boys present on the set wore PPE kits provided by the production house.

A quick look at the set revealed posters reminding one of the threat of the virus that looms large. "We have introduced a concept called share a sanitiser. Earlier, people would share gutkha, and smoke on sets. Now, we have banned them; they are only allowed to share sanitisers," adds Majethia. At lunch, the unit was served packed food and were required to eat at their designated positions, thus avoiding crowding.

Bhojani reported to the set with complete makeup and in costume. "All our make-up rooms were sanitised before we came in the morning. A make-up kit was delivered to me two days ago, which I promptly sanitised. I have learnt to do make-up during the lockdown. So, we came to the set ready for the camera," he narrates.

Even as they clocked nine hours of work, from 9 am to 6 pm, productivity on the first day was below par. "We did rehearsal, and then shot. The work is definitely slow, as everyone is careful," says Majethia.


Vehicles are fumigated before being allowed on the set

Motley Crew Shoots For Mythological
Miles away, in Umbergaon, actors Sumedh Mudgalkar and Basant Bhatt reprised their roles of Krishn and Balram in Siddharth Kumar Tewary's RadhaKrishn. A source reveals that a 20-member cast and crew was taken to Umbergaon a week ago, following which they practised the mandatory self-quarantine. Two sanitisation tunnels have also been built on the set as a precautionary measure.

Actor Kinshuk Vaidya, who plays Arjun in the mythological show, says, "The producers have looked after every aspect — from calling us a week in advance and keeping us in isolation to having a sanitisation regimen frequently during the day. The moment we are done filming a shot, we are required to sanitise ourselves and wear our masks."

Colors TV's offering Choti Sarrdaarni is expected to roll today while Star TV will take their daily soaps on floors by June 28. Among the shoots that started yesterday also included the Gracy Singh-fronted Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein. A technician from the crew, on condition of anonymity, reveals that the makers have let go of a chunk of the crew to avoid crowding on sets.

"On the basis of the guidelines, they've decided that some of us are not needed anymore at work. But as daily-wage workers, we are all in a trying situation," he lamented.

Not Just Television
In Versova, actor Adah Sharma ventured out for the shoot of a commercial for a popular coffee brand, accompanied by her make-up artiste and hairstylist. She stuck to the basics, and says they were vigilant to not flout any rules. "My hair and make-up team were given instructions to not touch anything on set. I was conscious to not touch surfaces, and kept washing my hands at frequent intervals. After every scene, I would get back in the vanity van and wash my hands, as did my hair and make-up team."


Still from Bhakarwadi

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; April 21, 2020)

Three daily soaps — Beyhadh 2, Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein and Patiala Babes — will not return to television post the lockdown. In an exclusive statement issued to BT, the channel said that the three “are finite fiction shows and the nature and the pace of their narrative is time-bound.”

It further stated, “Given that all shoots have been stalled since March, owing to the unprecedented situation we are in, the logical ends of these shows could not be shot. All the three shows have had a good spell and would have paved way to newer narratives eventually, had the shoots been functional. Having said that, keeping the best interests of all in mind and in joint agreement with the producers, it has been decided to terminate these shows, as of now.”

Meanwhile, BT spoke to Rajita Sharma, the producer of Patiala Babes, who said, “Ours was always a finite series, but unfortunately, we are unable to shoot the remaining episodes because of the lockdown. None of us know when we will be in a position to resume shooting. So, it was a mutual decision to pull it off air.”
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With producers suffering losses due to the lockdown and Sony unwilling to rejig its annual slate, sources suggest the channel may pull the plug on Beyhadh 2
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; April 21, 2020)

Fans of Beyhadh 2, who are eagerly awaiting the next plot twist in Jennifer Winget and Shivin Narang's on-screen love story, may be in for a disappointment. Word on the street is that the top brass at Sony Entertainment and the producers of the revenge saga are contemplating pulling the plug on the show, given the current scenario.

A source informs, "It's a big budget show, and with the set at Green Valley studio in Mira Road standing unused, the makers are incurring heavy losses with every passing day. So, the channel and production house may not resume the shoot of the daily soap post the lockdown. Even though the script for the next 50 episodes is ready, the show is likely to have an abrupt ending."

While the channel officials remained mum on the subject, an insider informed that the decision is not prompted by the monetary losses. "There is no clarity on when the shoots will resume. If the studio decides to pick up the story from where they left off, the channel will have to rejig its entire line-up of shows to accommodate the series."

When mid-day reached out to Ashish Chowdhry who is one of the leads, he said, "While I haven't received official communication about this yet, I won't be surprised if they have taken this decision. Jennifer, Shivin and my remunerations are high. Plus, [the makers must be struggling] to maintain the lavish sets."'

Downpour in city destroys set of Shilpa Shetty Kundra's comeback vehicle, compel makers to cancel the schedule
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 11, 2019)

While heavy showers on Friday and Saturday took the city by surprise, it played havoc with the schedule of Shilpa Shetty's comeback vehicle, Nikamma. The actor had been shooting for the Sabbir Khan-directed movie in Madh Island over the past few weeks. However, the unexpected downpour on Friday morning destroyed the set, leaving Khan with no option but to call time on the schedule.

"[The shoot was spread across] three sets — in Madh Island, at the Garden Retreat in Kandivali and one at Ellora Studios [in Mira Road]. We had recreated the interior of a house for the shoot [at Madh Island], but all of it was damaged in the rains. We had a week-long stint remaining, but we will have to postpone it now," says the director of the film that also features Abhimanyu Dassani.

The cost of the damage is yet to be ascertained. "The silver lining is that our set was insured. We will head for the Lucknow schedule soon. On our return, we will film the portions that we couldn't, due to the rains."

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; April 30, 2019)

It took Behzad Khambata, who has assisted on films like Boss and OMG – Oh My God!, 14 years to bag his first directorial venture. His movie, Blank, which features Sunny Deol and newcomer Karan Kapadia in lead roles, revolves around a suicide bomber, who loses his memory and has a bomb attached to his heart. The anti-terrorist squad has to prevent the bomb from exploding. The director spoke to Bombay Times about working with Sunny Deol in his maiden project, and the pressure of making commercial films. Excerpts:

Why did you choose a topic like terrorism for your debut as a director?
Two years ago, when we thought of this subject, a film on Uri attacks had not been made. In the last few months, there have been many movies based on patriotism and dealing with the topic of terrorism. It does get unnerving because my film also has terrorism as its backdrop. I liked the subject and the uncertainty that surrounded a guy, who has a bomb in his heart. My film is commercial, but if you are waiting for someone to break into a song, that won’t happen. It has a runtime of 100 minutes, and it goes from one scene to another and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I learnt a lot while shooting with a senior actor like Sunny Deol because some people on my team, Karan Kapadia, my assistant director and writer, were all first-timers.

Considering the fact that this is your first film, was it intimidating to direct a senior actor like Sunny?
I had many inhibitions before I started working with him, but once the shoot began everything went smoothly. He insisted that I should correct him or let him know if something goes wrong so that we don’t repent while editing the film. The role of an antiterrorist squad chief suits him. I am thankful that he agreed to do it.

You have shot the film in Mumbai. What kind of an experience did you have?
I remember we had to shoot two scenes in Mira Road. It was a crowded area and was perfect for the shot. On one particular day, after I finished filming with Karan, it was time to shoot with Ishita (Dutta). At around 1.30 pm, when we went on the location, surprisingly, the streets were completely empty. Perhaps it was Eid that day, so people had closed their shops and gone home to celebrate. I was worried as I needed a crowd for my shot. There weren’t any junior artists either. So, we had to cheat and shoot with four-five people behind Ishita. You learn to handle such situations if you have worked as an assistant director. We also shot the movie in Vasai, Dongri and on the sets.

Your first film often paves the way for you in the industry. Are you feeling the pressure?
We have stayed true to the script and given it our best shot. Now, the audiences will give its verdict. It is very tough to make a film and even tougher to release it. With this movie, I have learnt many things about filmmaking, which will be useful when I direct my next project. This is not a big bonanza movie; it revolves around a great script and performances. I am happy that two years ago, when Karan heard the script, he agreed to do it as it is a rather unconventional choice.

Do you think that today it has become easier for new directors to get a break?
Yes, I think there is a huge influx of actors and directors in the industry, and everyone has work now. I had a difficult time finding projects as an AD, but when I call people now, they seem to get work relatively easily. This motivates me. I respect makers, who make a film with all the commercial trappings because the pressure to release such a movie is very high. They have more to lose as their money and reputation are at a higher risk. When a big producer fails, it becomes public news. If my movie does not work, I will be washed away because people are skeptical about working with someone whose film has not worked, even if it had good reviews. Luckily, I had Anthony D’souza (director) who guided me. I learnt a lot from him. At the end of the day, this was a great team to work with.

Firoz Nadiadwala on his next, which is based on a real-life incident from 2016
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 24, 2019)

The Mira Road call centre scam that rocked Mumbai in 2016 is now getting a filmi spin. It operated through at least half a dozen call centres where tele-callers posing as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officials would call up American citizens . After a crackdown by the Indian police, US Homeland Security confirmed that these call centres had stolen more than $300 million. Sagar Thakkar alias Shaggy (above), the mastermind behind the fraud, was busted by the police in October 2016. His lavish lifestyle put him on the radar, and he was subsequently nailed when he bought Virat Kohli’s Audi for Rs 2.5 crore as a gift for his girlfriend. Firoz Nadidawala is bringing the scam to the screen in a film titled Hot Shots – Dare To Dream.

Confirming the news, Firoz told Mirror, “It’s the world’s biggest corporate call centre scam. The Americans who consider themselves to be the most intelligent in the world, were duped by a bunch of Indians living in a remote suburb of Mumbai.”

Co-produced Arjun Kumar and Farid Sama, the film will be shot in real locations in Mumbai, Dubai and New York. “We will be going on the floors as soon as we lock our director and cast,” informs Firoz.

THE TIMES OF INDIA (May 4, 2014)

Mumbai: The Mira Road police booked model Poonam Pandey for ‘indecently behaving in public’ under the controversial section 110 of the Bombay Police Act on Friday night. Pandey (23) claimed she was listening to music in her car with her brother when the police came. Neither her behaviour nor her knee-length dress could be called indecent, she added. She was taken to the police station, booked and let off. Cops said she was “skimpily dressed”.

Legal experts cited several instances in the last two years where section 110 was slapped on youngsters on flimsy grounds. “It needs to be overhauled,” said advocate Pranav Badheka

‘Skimpy attire was drawing a crowd’
Mumbai: On the use of section 110 of the Bombay Police Act, IPS officer-turned-lawyer Y P Singh had said earlier that it was a magic mantra for many in the police.

The section is often used to pull up patrons of nightclubs and also gives the police powers to book a person for questioning their action.

About the Pandey case, the police said she was “skimpily dressed” and waiting alone near Shivar Garden around 10.30pm. When questioned, she gave vague replies, said assistant police inspector Praful Wagh. Though he did not elaborate on the nature of her offence, the police are believed to have taken objection to her plunging neckline.

Pandey, a resident of Goregaon, told TOI she and her brother were on a long drive on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway (Wagh said Pandey was alone at a secluded spot and had no male company). She said that when the police arrived at the place she had stopped, they warned her against playing loud music; but before leaving, they asked her to tell them her name; upon realising that she was a model, they slapped her with indecent behaviour charges.

“It is only after they heard my name that they thought of charging me for indecency,” said Pandey, who became famous after she promised to strip naked if the Indian cricket team won the 2011 World Cup.

Wagh said Pandey was dressed skimpily and was standing outside her car. “Her attire was attracting a huge crowd and we had to intervene,” he said.  

BOMBAY POLICE ACT Allows the police great autonomy to decide what behaviour is “offensive”, what conduct is “disorderly” and even what words are “abusive”  

SECTION 110 | Permits any policeman, including a constable, to book and arrest a person for ‘indecent behaviour in public’ if it occurs in his sight

TIMES VIEW: Cops going around booking women for being “skimpily dressed” sounds so medieval. Police officers should maintain law and order; they should keep in mind they are not arbiters of morality and fashion. This attitude, just like the Bombay Police Act, is a relic from the past; both need to be binned immediately.

MID-DAY (May 3, 2014)

Controversial starlet Poonam Pandey was arrested in Mumbai's Mira Road area late on Friday night for allegedly indulging in indecent acts in public. She was later released after a warning.

Pandey, who made her Bollywood debut with 'Nasha' last year, came to prominence after stating in an interview that she would strip if the Indian Cricket Team won the 2011 World Cup. While she did not keep her promise after India won the World Cup, she finally bared all after Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL in 2012, and became an internet sensation.

"Wow I am trending World Wide... Tweethearts and fans round the World... the pic was just a trailer lot more you will see in my debut film... so stay tuned," Poonam had then tweeted.

The starlet has courted controversy numerous times since then most notably for uploading more revealing pictures of herself on social media websites.