Unlock 2.0: Like we realised we don’t need many frills and fancies in life, we might not need 150 people on set, says Juhi Chawla

Actor Juhi Chawla says that most films can do with lesser number of crew, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. She goes down the memory lane and reveals that while shooting for Darr in Switzerland, they had a measly crew of just 32 people.

Actor Juhi Chawla has seen the industry change, from a time when the success of a film was gauged by how many weeks it ran in theatres, to now when films are getting a direct-to-OTT release. It’s therefore apt to ask her take on what the future of the film industry looks like, with so many guidelines in place for resumption of shoots in Maharashtra amid the pandemic.

Actor Juhi Chawla reveals that they only had a crew of 32 people when they shot for the film Darr in Switzerland.

She gives a very practical answer: “Like we realised in life that we don’t need so many frills and fancies, we might also realise that on a set we might not need 150 people, and essentially make the film with just half the number. It could be those kind of realisations.”

Her opinion is in line with the guideline of 33 percent crew. The 52-year-old goes down memory lane to prove her point.

Chawla believes that work is all that matters, and when you really get down to work and push yourself, “it helps get things done”.

She further comments why we used to see so many people on a film set. “There’s an assistant, who wants another assistant, who wants one spot boy. Of course, there are projects that may require such numbers, but not always,” she adds.

From lockdown that was imposed to March, to now when Unlock 2.0 is underway, though in Maharashtra, lockdown has been extended till July 31, Chawla admits having gone through a flurry of emotions.

“When it began, I was a little rattled, we’ve never experienced this. ‘Will there be food? Basic essentials?’ were some questions. But as days went by, I realised that even with just the basics, you can actually get back quite comfortable. I soon started to enjoy the fact that I didn’t have to do so many unnecessary things. Within a few days into the lockdown, the air in Mumbai was clean; it never looked greener, there were birds every morning. I was in bliss,” concludes the actor.

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