On Thursday, the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) cancelled permissions that were given for film and TV serial shootings in Goa in the wake of rising Coronavirus cases. After this decision by the ESG (Goa government’s nodal agency that grants permission for commercial shootings), there was chaos in the television fraternity.

Eleven TV shows relocated to Goa after shootings were stalled in Maharashtra last month and they are now left with no choice but to wrap up and return to Mumbai. The hunt for new locations has already begun. The shows that had shifted base to Goa are Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Mein, Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha, Shaurya Aur Anokhi Ki Kahani, Molkki, Bawara Dil, Kumkum Bhagya, Kundali Bhagya, Yeh Hai Chahatein, Apna Time Bhi Aayega, Tujhse Hai Raabta and Qurbaan Hua.

A few days back, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had announced a lockdown till May 3, but TV shoots were allowed to continue because they were filming in resorts and villas. However, now with the rising cases, the Goa government has decided to put a stop to all shootings for now.

While some production houses have decided to move back to Mumbai, there are a few others who are toying with the idea of staying back in Goa, and move to a new location straight from there. Says a source from a production house, “Returning to Mumbai and then to another location will be time-consuming and expensive, so some producers feel that it’s better to stay back in Goa and zero in on a new location. Among the options that they are looking at are Gujarat and Daman. However, some of them plan to return to Mumbai, so that if the situation in Mumbai improves they can resume shooting here.”

We spoke to a few actors who are shooting in Goa, who said that they haven’t been informed anything officially. Neil Bhatt, the lead actor of Ghum Hai Kisi Ke Pyaar Mein, told us on Thursday evening, “We haven’t been informed about the wrap up. We are still in the resort.” Shraddha Arya, the lead actress of Kundali Bhagya, said, “I have heard of the new rule, but we haven’t told anything yet. We have to wait and watch.”

When we reached out to Antonio Costa, President of the All Goa Line Producers Association, he said, “Whatever scheduled shoots were taking place, have been put on hold, as of 1 pm on Thursday. They’ve packed up and some of them are planning to move to Daman or Diu, since these two union territories are still open. These shoots are being handled by the line producers registered with us. There are a lot of other shoots taking place, which do not go through the loop, and which we term as illegal. They are out of our control. Whichever shoots were in the control of the ESG and our association have been cancelled.”

A few line producers from Goa, working on a couple of TV shows, also expressed their concerns. Shiva Naik, a line producer, said, “We wrapped up or called off all the movie and web series that were being shot in the state last month itself since the second wave hit and cases were rising. Health is of utmost importance. Only TV show shoots were going on, which have also been cancelled now. I think we need to take it easy for a while and start work only once the situation gets better.”

Sandeep Kotecha, who was working with production units of three TV shows in Goa, said, “It’s going to be a major loss. And this will have long-term effects since the situation doesn’t seem to be getting any better.”

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The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), on Thursday, cancelled the permission granted to shoot films and television shows in the state in the wake of the rising cases. This has posed a difficulty for the units of as many as 11 shows that had shifted base to Goa in mid-April after the Maharashtra government imposed a junta curfew.

A prime example is Zee TV’s Apna Time Bhi Aayega, which was being filmed in the beach state over the past 20 days. With only a week’s bank of episodes, producer-writer Ved Raj says the team has no option but to quickly set up base in another location. “Hyderabad is one of the options. We are also looking at the possibility [of filming in] Gujarat or Daman. We have a bank of episodes till the coming Friday. So, the idea is to move to the next location, instead of returning to Mumbai to figure out the plan of action,” he says.

The filming of Ekta Kapoor’s popular shows, including Kumkum Bhagya and Molkki, was progressing smoothly in bio-bubbles. A source reveals, “All shoots have been halted since Friday morning. The makers of these shows are considering making an appeal to the authorities to let them continue shooting as they adhere to stringent safety norms. They will have clarity by Saturday.”

Over the years, we have seen many television actors crying foul over unceremonious ouster from shows. The latest is Tannaz Irani, who plays Ranisa in Apna Time Bhi Aayega. The actress says that she was replaced on the show after she expressed her reservations about moving to Goa for the shoot. According to her, the makers replaced her abruptly, without even discussing the possibility of a solution.

She says, “I shot with them till April 11, two days before they decided to move to Goa after shoots were stalled in Maharashtra. The production house texted everyone, enquiring whether we would be available to shoot, but without mentioning other details like accommodation and duration of the stay. I told them that I was not sure about travelling, but was open to a discussion. However, there was no discussion.”

Tannaz adds, “Given the current situation, I wouldn’t have been allowed to travel back to Mumbai to see my children. I do not have anyone to look after them, and can’t expect my husband (Bhakhtyar) to take care of everything. Besides, I have already been infected with Coronavirus once. So, my family is bound to get worried for me. Having said that, I was not completely averse to the idea, but it’s a big decision, and I wanted to discuss it.”

The actress says that while she was expecting to resolve the issue, the production house informed her about her replacement. “If something like this can happen with a senior artiste like me, I can only imagine the state of newcomers. What if I had to tell the production house that I wasn’t satisfied with my track and I wouldn’t continue on the show? I would have been labelled as unprofessional,” she says. 

While producer Ved Raj remained unavailable for comment, a source associated with the show explains, “Tannaz told us that she wouldn’t be able to join us in Goa. We managed without her for 15 days and even tweaked the storyline to accommodate her absence. But since we are not going to resume shoot in Mumbai for a while, how long can we adjust without her character? Hence this decision was taken.”

Given the sudden decision to halt TV shoots, channels and production houses are in a soup. However, most shows have a bank of episodes and will be able to go on for at least a week. Thereafter, if the situation doesn’t change, they will have air re-runs, which they aren’t in favour of.

Ved Raj, who has two shows on air including Apna Time Bhi Aayega, says, “We were prepared for this. I am assuming that almost every producer shot aggressively and created a bank of episodes, which will last till Tuesday or Wednesday. Re-runs are always the last option as no one makes money. The idea is to work hard, entertain the audience and keep the business afloat.”

The decision to air re-runs of a new show or air old shows will be taken by channels. As Saurabh Tewari, producer of Pinjara Khubsurti Ka, says, “I don’t think any producer will have a bank of episodes that will suffice for more than a week, which means that we will be able to telecast fresh episodes till next Wednesday. If the matter isn’t resolved and we don’t resume the shoot, we will have to opt for repeats like last year. It will be the broadcaster’s prerogative whether they bring back old shows or air re-runs of their current shows. However, I doubt that will generate any revenue in such a situation. It will be a huge business loss.”

Talking about re-runs, Sumeet Mittal, who has five shows on air including Shaadi Mubarak and Kyun Utthe Dil Chhod Aaye, says, “Re-runs is the last resort when everything else fails. Currently, we are looking at the options to continue the shoot outside Mumbai. At the same time, we are also working on a plan that we will present to the Maharashtra CMO. We will assure the administration that we can work in a controlled environment, create a bio-bubble on the set and do our best to keep everyone safe. Having said that, we will abide by the final decision of the CMO.”

Benaifer Kohli, who has three shows on air, including Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai!, says, “I have a bank of episodes that will suffice for more than two weeks. The only show without a healthy bank is Jijaji Chhat Parr Koii Hai, as it went on air recently. So, the channel will decide whether they will telecast re-runs. If I have to move to another city, I would want to make sure that it’s safe for my unit to shoot there. It’s a temporary compromise that we will be making for everybody’s livelihood.”

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Reality shows like Dance Deewane, Indian Pro Music League and Indian Idol have shot in advance and will manage the telecast for the next two weeks. Arvind Rao, producer of Dance Deewane, says, “The issues will start after the next weekend because we don’t have episodes in the bank. We are hoping for the best outcome of our meeting with the CM. As of now, we have halted the shoot.” Along with Rao, judge Dharmesh Yelande and many crew members had tested positive for Coronavirus two weeks ago.

Like Dance Deewane, Indian Idol, too, saw host Aditya Narayan test positive. Contestant Pawandeep Rajan has also been unwell. A source said, “Last year, we were contemplating to relocate the set to Hyderabad and shoot the episodes from there, but this year, there has been no such talk as yet. We will wait till next week and see how things go.”

Whenever shoots resume, reality show makers are toying with the idea of creating a bio-bubble, like sports tournaments have done so far. Ranjeet Thakur, producer of Super Dancer, says, “The cost of creating a bio bubble will be higher, but safety will be maintained. In case of a bio-bubble, we keep the entire crew (technicians) on the set as long as the shoot lasts. The contestants are also on the set, but in another zone. The judges travel from their homes, shoot for two episodes and only then can they leave the set. Before we start shooting, everyone has to undergo the COVID-19 test, and they are not allowed to come in contact with anyone outside the unit. In the case of a fiction show, a similar exercise can be followed.”

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This time, last year we were new to it, but today we are prepared. If offices and other places are shut, then studios should be, too. As a matter of fact, shooting for movies and shows is riskier than working in an office.

I don’t know how production houses are going to deal with this situation. However, the restrictions are necessary as COVID-19 cases are increasing rapidly and people are not taking necessary precautions. I am sad about our show’s shoot, but whatever the government has decided is to contain the spread of coronavirus.

This is upsetting and disheartening for all because the entertainment industry along with the other sectors was barely getting back on its feet post the lockdown that happened last year, and now, it’s like history repeating itself. For the television fraternity where new content needs to be churned out daily and deadlines have to be met, it will be challenging to cope up with this situation.

Among the worst affected in the second wave is Maharashtra and the situation called for stringent measures. There are so many people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the entertainment industry as well. I, too, got infected, but thankfully I have recovered. However, there were so many who lost their lives to it. Yes, our livelihood depends on it but life hai toh livelihood hogi na, so I feel till the time the cases lessen we should all co-operate and respect the decision that has been taken. This is the reason I am in Gurugram and not taking a flight back to Mumbai.

We are still talking to the production house and figuring things out. This lockdown though necessary wasn’t something we anticipated. Our show, Ranju ki Betiyaan, has been doing very well and we were looking forward to maintaining the momentum. But, of course, health comes first. We will try and make the most of this break as well and stay positive.

I honestly don’t know how to react to this. It’s a good move considering the rise in the number of cases, but stopping the shoot means the entertainment industry will suffer a huge loss, especially the shows that are on air and the films that are currently being shot. The last time it happened for more than three months and I am sure many won’t even have episodes in the bank. It’s a tough situation, but I am sure, together we will overcome this, too.

Yes, it’s sad that shoots have been stopped, but I also feel it is for the greater good. We need to probably start taking more precautions or shift our shoots to places where work can progress smoothly. Unlike the last time, I am better prepared. I know what to do and what my schedule is going to be like. I hope we get back to work soon.

Seeing the rising cases of the COVID 19 virus, whatever the government has decided is necessary to break the chain. However, we cannot ignore the fact that there will be people who will be affected by this, especially the crew, which works on daily wages. I hope producers or channels take care of them.