Everyone on set needs to be tested, feels Saumya Tandon

The Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain actor Saumya Tandon wants a monitoring agency to ensure the government guidelines are followed on sets of TV shows.

While the guidelines to restart shootings for film and TV shows have been released, there are a number of decisions and plans needed to fulfil conditions before any shooting starts. Actor Saumya Tandon, who stars in a popular sitcom, has some tough questions.

Saumya feels everyone is desperate to get back to work as they are worried about their livelihoods that can lead to lapses and carelessness.

“The guidelines say only 33% of a standard unit will be operational but I think everyone on set should be tested for Covid-19 even if they don’t show symptoms, so to eliminate any chances. There is no such point recommended in the guidelines,” says Tandon, adding, “Our nature of work is such that we work in close intimacy as we have people who do our make up and hair, people who fix our mics or sari, shoot in close contact with co-stars, and so many other things unlike a regular office where people are in cubicles and can maintain distance,” she states she will look for assurance that everyone is tested once the shoot starts.

The Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain actor points out that a number of her co-actors are happy to go back to work but while the guidelines are formed, we need to “have a monitoring agency to ensure they are followed”. “The guidelines also say that everyone will be stationed where they are shooting. Moreover, we need to have a monitoring agency to ensure all the guidelines are followed by production houses. It will be upto the individuals to do their bit. Everyone is so desperate to get back to work as everyone is worried about their livelihoods that it can lead to lapses and carelessness. It is scary. The channel heads and creative teams won’t be on the sets while actors and unit members will be. So we have to take extra precautions,” she says.