Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 10, 2020)

The Coronavirus pandemic caused Bollywood film productions to come to a standstill in mid-March. While TV shoots resumed shooting in June, films and web series were still waiting it out, until recently. Now, as shoots are resuming, actor Akshay Kumar has left for London, UK to start his film, Bellbottom. He was accompanied by the film’s cast Huma S Qureshi, Lara Dutta and others.

Incidentally, Kumar was also one of the first actors to shoot a commercial during the lockdown. Talking about resuming work, Kumar recently told Hindustan Times, “I don’t think I’ve ever stayed away from the camera for this long and now, there’s a newfound excitement.”

Actors Dhanush and Sara Ali Khan are also set to begin shooting for director Aanand L Rai’s romantic drama Atrangi Re in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Khaali Peeli, starring Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday, is also set to resume shoot soon. Late last month, Yoodlee Films became the first production studio to start shooting for two full-fledged feature films Comedy Couple and Zombivali.

“Shooting in this time is a different experience all together. But the production house is taking precautions,” says director Nachiket Samant, who is helming Comedy Couple.

Precautions and safety measures are paramount for those who have resumed work, says Siddharth Anand Kumar, vice-president, Films and Events, Saregama (Yodlee Films). He adds, “Things are a little more expensive also. But that’s okay. We are shooting, and things are going well. This period is a testament to the adaptability of humans.

Not just films, shoots for web series, which are not less grand than a film shoot have also begun. Director Ken Ghosh, who is helming Abhay 2 admits that these are indeed difficult times but that does not mean that people will sit at home. “There were a few rejigs required because some part of the series was shot before lockdown and some parts had to be shot post it. A web series is no less than shooting a film and that is always a challenge,” he says.

Actor Chunky Panday, who stars in the series, says, “It is a challenge to work with fewer crew members, but it was smooth. There will always be a fear among all of us but we have to move on.”

So, is it at all challenging for actors to adapt to this new way of shooting? Actor Aftab Shivdasani, who has started shooting Poison 2, doesn’t think so. “I didn’t have any problems at all. The day prior to the shoot, the crew had set up everything, and all of it was done before the actors came on set,” he explains.

Saqib Saleem undergoes a pulse oximeter test before shoot

From monitoring safety measures to trimming down staff to 25, makers of Comedy Couple discuss kicking offshoot post Coronavirus lockdown
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 25, 2020)

While some filmmakers returned to the set to complete their pending shoots, Yoodlee Films' Comedy Couple — featuring Saqib Saleem and Shweta Basu Prasad — became the first Bollywood movie to kick off production from scratch. The comedy, that was initially slated to be shot in Mumbai, went on floors in Gurugram last week.

Siddharth Anand Kumar, vice-president, films and events, Saregama, informs that adhering to safety guidelines, the crew headed to the city 14 days before the shoot and practised self-quarantine. In a crucial step, the production house has employed three COVID officers — hospitality professionals who have been trained in preventive measures — who monitor the crew members for symptoms as well as check their temperatures every morning before shoot, on a rotational basis. "The regulations bar us from having a doctor or ambulance on set as they are required at hospitals. So, we have a designated COVID officer, who is in charge of ensuring that the strictest measures of hygiene and sanitisation are followed. Everyone on the set wears gloves, masks or face shields; we also have built a sanitisation tunnel. Actors have to mandatorily wear masks between takes," says Kumar.

Though the original crew comprises 60 people, only 25 are on the set at a time. The make-up and hair styling department has been trimmed down to four artistes. "We have two artistes who handle the hair and make-up of the leads while two others take care of the rest of the cast. "

Giving shape to a film — while working with a slim crew and maintaining physical distancing — is no mean feat. Director Nachiket Samant hopes to wrap up the project in a start-to-finish 40-day schedule. "Shooting under such circumstances is a different experience altogether. We find ourselves in a curiously strange situation. But we are taking precautions, and safety to the highest standard is being ensured for all," he says.


Shweta Basu Prasad's hair and makeup artistes take preventive measures before attending to her


Producer Kumar at the monitor