Showing posts with label Nitin Vaidya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nitin Vaidya. Show all posts
Rising costs, creativity issues, uncertainty surrounding shoots: The challenges TV show makers face shooting outside Mumbai
8:18 AM
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; May 20, 2021)
After the state government imposed restrictions on April 15 owing to a surge in Coronavirus cases, shoots of TV shows, films and web series came to a halt. Many TV shows relocated to different places outside Maharashtra. While most of them relocated to Gujarat (Vapi, Umbergaon, Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot), a few relocated to Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Silvassa, Delhi and Daman. Around 12 shows had relocated to Goa, but after a lockdown was announced there on May 6, TV shows had to shift base again.
Working in a new location and churning out fresh content is a huge challenge faced by the TV industry in the current scenario. Here’s a look at how production houses are managing to keep the show going amid the pandemic.
Moving an entire unit to a new place and setting base there incurs a lot of cost. Production houses have been shooting at resorts, bungalows and studios, due to which expenses have escalated. That apart, makers have to shell out money to maintain their existing sets in Mumbai. Producer Nitin Vaidya says, “Two of my shows, Punyashlok Ahilya Bai and Mere Sai — Shraddha Aur Saburi, have moved to Umbergaon. I have to maintain two sets and pay for the upkeep. Nobody wants to air re-reruns like last year, so we moved to a new location.”
Producer Nitin Vaidya adds, “We understand that cases are rising and restrictions are important, but there has to be a solution to this.”
Producer Pawan Kumar’s shows, including Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 2, Santoshi Maa Sunayein Vrat Kathayein, Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, Ranju Ki Betiyaan and Sasural Simar Ka 2 that are on air, are being shot at different locations. He says, “It’s not a joke to move so many shows out of Maharashtra. We are churning out fresh content every day, but following safety protocols, sanitising the sets and operating from different locations is adding to the challenges.”
With COVID-19 cases rising across the country, producers are constantly worried about restrictions being imposed, due to which they would have to move to another location. This is exactly what happened in Goa, where units had to stop shooting after a lockdown was announced on May 6.
Says a source from the TV fraternity, “Production houses are managing to air new episodes, but it is getting tough because there’s no certainty that shoots can continue uninterrupted given the rise in the cases across the country. Everyone’s hoping that things get better in Maharashtra and shoots are allowed to resume in Mumbai at some point.”
From a creative point of view, too, shows are struggling. Pearl Grey, creative producer of Mann Ki Awaaz Pratigya 2, says, “Storylines have to be tweaked and our senior actors, too, haven’t been able to join us. So, of course, relocation hasn’t been easy. Creativity is suffering.”
‘THE BIO-BUBBLE KIND OF A FORMAT IS WORKING FOR US’
Makers say that the bio-bubble kind of a format, which they are following, has worked for them so far. Asit Kumarr Modi, producer of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, says, “We are shooting in Vapi, and the bio-bubble format is working for us in the current scenario.”
Nitin Vaidya adds, “In the case of IPL, there were COVID cases because they moved from one place to another, but in the case of a TV show, we are not doing that. We are stationed at one place and are regularly testing people. The actors and the entire crew stay in a bubble.”
The problem arises when actors or judges (in the case of reality shows) need to return to Mumbai to be with their family for a few days. Ranjeet Thakur, producer of Super Dancer, shares, “We test them every time they come back and before they enter the sets. We don’t let anyone shoot before we get their test results.”
Small screen banks on episodes, exemption
8:07 AM
Producers and channels are figuring out ways to keep TV shows going
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 17, 2021)
The sudden suspension of shoots to curb the spike in Coronavirus cases comes with a sense of deja vu, but producers hope it won’t be a rerun of 2020 for the TV fraternity. Last year after the sudden nationwide lockdown was announced, the small screen had to opt for repeat telecasts for months to fill the void of fresh content. This time, makers have tried to create an episode bank but are concerned about what happens if it is exhausted and the Covid situation doesn’t improve.
“Right now, people have a bank of two to seven episodes. After that, they’ll have to go for reruns for a week or 10 days, and that’s not a big problem, if we compare it to the last lockdown,” says J D Majethia, chairman, TV division of Indian Film and TV Producers Council, and producer of Wagle Ki Duniya.
The tricky part, he adds, is there won’t be support from advertisers if channels rely too much on reruns. “Bahut mushkil se ek habit banti hai viewers ki ke woh humara show regularly dekhein, and if this habit isn’t continued, it becomes very difficult to bring them back,” cautions Majethia.
At the moment, most popular shows including Kundali Bhagya, Shakti: Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, Hamari Wali Good News, Barrister Babu, Indian Idol, Super Dancer, Punyashlok Ahilyabai, Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai and Happu Ki Ultan Paltan are relying on banks while they figure out their next move, which may include shifting shoots out of town.
“All channels are planning to add more advertisements in the show package to reduce the content time. This way, they can use existing content judiciously as they figure out a way,” says a source. The main challenge will come when the bank is exhausted, observes Nitin Vaidya, producer of Mere Sai. “I have a bank of seven days, but what after that? I can’t move the huge set to another city overnight,” he rues.
Qurbaan Hua’s producer Sonali Jaffar says channels are taking the final call. “No channel wants to go for reruns, so they’re putting their heads together to see it’s avoided. For people at home, entertainment is one of the primal needs,” shares Jaffar
But, if the curbs are extended after May 2, then “there will be a huge problem”, feels Majethia. “We plan to meet the chief minister in the coming week and request him to exempt us. We’ll promise to take extra steps to minimise the rate of infection,” he says.
New show Rudrakaal strives to bridge the gap between films and TV
7:50 AM
New show strives to bridge gap between films and TV with the NH10 cinematographer, a bunch of diverse talents and real location shoots
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 20, 2020)
It will be a finite series and air on weekends on Star Plus. Starting in December, the drama will play out over a span of three to four months. It features Bhanu Uday, who was last seen in Anurag Basu’s crime anthology Ludo, as DCP Ranjan Chittoda, Dipannita Sharma, as his wife and Rudraksh Jaiswal, who worked with Chris Hemsworth and Randeep Hooda in Extraction, as his son, along with Rajit Kapur.
“None of them have done much TV and come from different platforms, including film, theatre and digital. But they are the lead of our story set in Mumbai. We began shooting four days ago and all of them are hooked from the word go,” Nitin relays, insisting that the show will bridge the gap between films and TV. “Our cinematographer is Arvind Kannabiran who has shot Anushka Sharma’s NH10. We won’t be filming on one particular set but mostly in real locations. TV needs to move with time in the right direction. We want to be a part of that wave of change, among the first to explore the finite format.”
Quiz him on the plot and he is wary of divulging too much. All he will say at this point is that it will be an eye-opener of sorts for parents, giving them a window to problems their kids could face and the precautions that they need to take. “We will handle them sensitively,” he promises.
Television shows halt shoots for three days as crew members test positive for COVID-19
8:55 AM
While the shooting of Ek Mahanayak — Dr BR Ambedkar is on hold for three days, the unit of Mere Sai resumes work today
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; July 7, 2020)
Shoots of TV shows resumed recently, and unit members have been taking necessary precautions. However, the shoot of Ek Mahanayak - Dr B R Ambedkar came to a grounding halt when actor Jagannath Nivangune tested positive for Coronavirus.Meanwhile, the shoot of Mere Sai resumes today after a three-day break. The shoot was put on hold after a crew member tested positive for Coronavirus.
Producer of Mere Sai, Nitin Vaidya, said, “The crew member who tested positive was feeling feverish and did not report on the sets. He was quarantined and is recovering well. The set has been fumigated and disinfected. As per the state government rules, we halted the shoot for three days and will resume work today.”
Broadcasters & producers meet Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to discuss commencement of shoots
8:15 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; May 24, 2020)
After meeting the representatives of the Marathi entertainment industry, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a virtual meeting with a group of broadcasters and key TV producers, on Friday.The 45-minute-long discussion centred around how the Coronavirus lockdown has impacted the business. The meeting, organised by the Indian Broadcasters Federation, was attended by Ekta Kapoor, J D Majethia, N P Singh, Puneet Goenka, K Madhavan, Rahul Joshi, Nitin Vaidya, and Deepak Dhar, among others.
Producer-actor J D Majethia, the chairman of the Indian Film and Television Producers Council (TV division), told us, “We highlighted the loss of jobs and the fatigue that is setting in with reruns on TV. Now that Kerala and Karnataka are on the verge of resuming shoots in their states, we could also look at rebooting operations. The CM voiced his concerns about red zones in the state. He was clear that the sets should not be anywhere near residential areas. He has set up a team that will examine all the locations that are currently being considered. Observing social distancing regulations and following the health advisories will be a must for us, which we have assured him of. All the affiliated organisations for technicians, actors and workers have formed a consolidated list of standard operating procedures, a part of which has already been shared with the CM. The remaining will be submitted next week. We also talked about setting up monsoon sheds for the sets and fire safety preparations before any shoot commences.”Producer Nitin Vaidya added, “Discussions have also been held about starting post-production work. The CM is clear that the entertainment capital must get back on its feet and he does not want any producer to head out of the state to commence shooting. He is geared up to help us in every way possible. He has initiated the process by putting a team in place to help us find a workable solution to our issues.”
Delegation of producers, broadcasters met CM Devendra Fadnavis on day 9 of FWICE strike
3:12 PM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 25, 2017)
Things have come to a head following the ongoing workers strike called by the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) on August 15, demanding eighthour shifts, salary hike, accidental and medical insurance and workplace safety.
On Wednesday, a delegation of producers and broadcasters led by Punit Goenka, J D Majethia, Ekta Kapoor, Shyamashish Bhattacharjee and Nitin Vaidya met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to convey their reservations.
“The police are doing a fabulous job but we feel threatened by protests outside Film City and other studios. We requested the CM to provide security to workers willing to work and maintain law and order. He called the Police Commissioner (Datta Padsalgikar) and has assured us protection, not only till the matter is resolved but even for a while after that,” says Majethia, co-chairman of the Indian Film and TV Producers Council, adding that many of the demands have been met. “We’ve given them a hike and insurance. Hygiene and food are being taken care of, I don’t understand this protest at all.”
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