No work for the elderly in Covid times?: Kanwaljit getting replaced on a show poses a question mark on the future of senior actors

With the new shooting guidelines in place not allowing actors and crew above the age of 65 to be present on a set, everyone is now left with a big question of whether older actors have a right to earn the livelihood or not? We talk to Aruna Irani, Govind Namdev, Nafisa Ali Sodhi among others to know their take.

As the entertainment industry resumes shoots for web and TV projects, there are some who are being debarred from being on a set. According to the guidelines, the cast and crew will not include anyone older than 65 years as it has been found that older people are at higher risk of infection. Facing its brunt, actor Kanwaljit Singh was recently replaced in a show by a younger actor, thus leaving everyone with the big question of the future of senior actors and their livelihood.

Senior actors say if they are fit and healthy, they should be allowed to work.

Actor Govind Namdev, 65, who recently went out to dub for a project calls for this particular to be revisited.

“People who’re physically fit should be allowed to work. That’s their right. Just because someone is over the age of 65 doesn’t mean their immunity is not fine. If a healthy person is following all precautions, he should not be stopped from working. After all, the livelihood is at stake,” he says.

Nafisa Ali Sodhi believes that by barring older actors to resume work, the industry is giving out a very wrong message. “This is stigmatisation of the elders and highly demoralising for them. The society segregating the elderly is very bad,” says the 63-year-old.

Senior actors who have resumed work feel that it should ultimately be about one’s choice. Acknowledging that the guideline has been made keeping the safety of the older people in mind, actor Himani Shivpuri, who’s back on the set of her comedy series, says that it has now been proven that the virus can infect people across age groups.

“I was so scared to go out and shoot, I’m still scared. It’s a scary situation. But people who’re above the age should not be sidelined. In this profession, as you grow older, the work anyway lessens. They’re feeling very bad about it. We don’t even get pension, jitna milta hai woh lifestyle maintain karne me chala jaata hai. As we’re growing, paise kam ho rahe hai, so we need to work,” reasons the 59-year-old.

However, there are some senior actors who’re wary to step out to work and advice against it. Aruna Irani, 73, is happy staying indoors till the situation improves. “I’d like to work but health comes first. I’ll have to take care of myself and I’m not ready to go out and work,” she says.

Rather than banning older actors from coming a film set or sacking and replacing them from ongoing shows, producers should make sure that all safety protocols, feels Nitish Bharadwaj.

“The job of the producers is to ensure that all the safety precautions are there properly and not for dikhawa. And then, leave it to senior actors if they want to resume work or not. If they don’t want to take risk with their lives, then they should be replaced. So, producers should walk the extra mile to provide safe infrastructure and not fire actors,” he says.

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