Bombay HC quashes Maharashtra govt’s order for 65 years age limit on film sets

The Bombay High Court has quashed Maharashtra government’s decision to put an age limit of 65 years on film sets due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bombay High Court on Friday set aside an order of the Maharashtra government barring all persons above the age of 65 years from shooting and participating in any work on film sets in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Surekha Sikri was among the senior actors who had protested against the age restriction.

A division bench of Justice SJ Kathawalla and Justice Riyaz I Chagla, while hearing two petitions filed by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) and actor Pramod Pandey, allows all persons over 65 years of age to work in the entertainment industry.

The bench allowed all producers, technicians, workers and artists to work subject to them adhering to the advisories which are applicable to all senior citizens as is applicable in case of all other citizens in the state.

Earlier the High Court had pulled up the state government on the matter and asked how can it stop only these people from working and earning a livelihood?

The court had, during the hearing, appointed senior counsel Sharad Jagtiani as amicus curiae in the matter. IMPPA and Pande were represented by advocate Ashok Saraogi.

“As per the list available with the petitioner, there are thousands of people aged above 65 years who were participating in the shooting of programmes prior to the lockdown. The shootings of such films and programmes have been left in between due to the non-availability of such people,” one of the pleas said.

It said that the guideline in the matter was not practical and was not fair as in no other profession this condition was imposed.

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