The works on films and TV serials have been postponed since mid-March when the countrywide lockdown got announced. But at the moment, there is some hope, after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s couple of get-togethers with Bollywood representatives and producers. He has asked them to create an action plan on the limited recommencement of film works and post-production activities.

But then, the big query is that: is it practically possible to begin film/TV works with a cast-and-crew of 30-40 people as against about 400 of them? Ace movie maker Ali Abbas Zafar says that they should patiently wait for 2-3 months before thinking of getting back on the sets. Zafar stated, “Even if you work with 50-70 people [in total], what if one person gets infected? Then, there are technical issues. How do you film scenes without two or more actors being in close proximity? What if DoP wants to take a close-up scene of an actor? However, the post-production work can surely start while taking all the precautions and minimum staff.”

Bollywood films like Radhe, Laal Singh Chadha, Mumbai Saga, Khaali Peeli, Bunty Aur Babli 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 had already commenced but they stuck at different stages owing to the lockdown. Producer Bhushan Kumar stated.

Bollywood films like Radhe, Laal Singh Chadha, Mumbai Saga, Khaali Peeli, Bunty Aur Babli 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 had already commenced but they stuck at different stages owing to the lockdown. Producer Bhushan Kumar stated, “There’s no doubt that safety of cast-and-crew will always come first. So, if the work re-starts, of course, there will be loads of challenges but you have to do something and start somewhere as something is better than nothing. Remember we’ve daily wage labourers and others whose livelihoods are at stake.”

Director Sanjay Gupta stated that he planned to complete his movie Mumbai Saga as shorty as the lockdown gets over and authorization from high authorities come in. “There are going to be some guidelines, which we all will adhere to. I’ve always said that nowadays, when you walk on a [Hindi] film set, there are just too many people — on an average, 300-350 of them. Now, we won’t have a choice but to go back to the old working style of not having more than 30-40 people. But unfortunately, it means that people such as spot boys, junior artists and caterers etc. will be badly hit,” he stated.
Bhushan Kumar added that if authorizations come in, some smaller movie projects, TV serials or patchwork sessions needing smaller units can begin at first. But big films that require 200 people and big action sequences etc. will have to wait. But the post-production work can surely start since that happens within an office and a controlled environment.

In addition, multi-starrer projects such as Takht and Shakun Batra’s next have to start their journey. There are a number of other big films such as Ayan Mukerji-directed Brahmastra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, Akshay Kumar-starrer Prithviraj, Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan, Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chadha and Ranbir Kapoor starrer Shamshera etc. that are stuck either due to no-filming status or post production work.