Coordinate with police, ensure crew is vaccinated, Maharashtra CM tells producers

Maharashtra government has asked the film and TV serials producers to adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines during a shooting in the wake of the potential third wave, which may hit the country in future

Maharashtra government has asked the film and TV serials producers to adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines during a shooting in the wake of the potential third wave, which may hit the country in future. The producers have been told to ensure that the crew members were fully vaccinated and coordinate with the police while shooting in Mumbai and surrounding areas.

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Chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray held a virtual meeting with representatives of the Producers Guild of India (PGI) on Saturday to discuss various issues and press for the need to follow the Covid-19 guidelines. CM said that any negligence or failure in following the Covid-related norms cannot be permitted as the second wave has not yet been subsided and the threat of the third wave is looming large.

“Even state government does not like to impose restrictions on the shooting, but the infection rate in Maharashtra and Kerala is still high. Event the bio-bubbles used during sports and entertainment events have failed to protect participants from the infection. While the country has not come out of the second wave of Covid-19 many countries in the world are witnessing the third wave. The producers in Mumbai and Maharashtra should do the Covid-19 test periodically. The crew members with symptoms should be treated properly. The producers must ensure that the participants are fully vaccinated,” he said.

Ritesh Sidhwani, Stuti Ramchandra, Madhu Bhojwani, Rakesh Mehra, Nitin Ahuja represented PGI, while Subodh Bhave, Nagraj Manjule, Ravi Jadhav represented the Marathi film and TV industry. They demanded an extended time for shooting, which is currently permitted till 4pm. The representatives also assured the state government to follow the restrictions rigorously.

“We are happy with the government’s positive response as the CM has ensured us with the solution by talking to the task force members soon. We have asked for permission to shoot after 4pm as for certain scenes the shooting during the night is a must. Few films have been stuck incomplete because of the requirement of night shooting. We have assured the government to take all precautions and follow the norms we have been following during day shifts of shooting,” said Ritesh Sidhawani, a producer and member of the PGI.

CM said that the state government is taking cautious steps while unlocking the activities and appealed to the producers to cooperate with the state. CM directed the police department to monitor the schedule, venue of the shooting. “The police should monitor the timing, venue of the shooting by taking the information from the producers by assigning a dedicated officer. The officers should ensure that the producers are following all norms appropriately,” he said.