After Maharashtra, the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) on Thursday cancelled all the permissions granted for film and television serial shootings in the state because of Covid.
Mumbai: The woes of the pandemic have yet again arrived at the doors of the entertainment industry after the Maharashtra government in a precautionary bid to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak cancelled the permissions to carry out film and television shootings across the state.
Several film and TV serial makers from Maharashtra had shifted their shootings to Goa, but in the wake of the steep surge in Covid-19 cases, all permissions granted for film shootings in Goa have been cancelled till the situation in the state comes under control.
B.N Tiwari, President of Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) spoke to The Sunday Guardian explaining the current crisis faced by the entertainment industry and said, “The conditions that are present now are fragile. For the daily wage worker of the film industry things are not good. Some of them have gone to Goa, Gujarat, and Hyderabad to work. This is a temporary way and workers are running around for work. Maximum daily wagers working in the film industry are Mumbai based and they have no work in hand.”
“Keeping in view the prevailing situation deteriorating, we have written a letter to the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackrey to allow us to shoot through bio-bubble and to allow few sets to work in Filmcity,” said Tiwari.
“However, till now we haven’t heard from the government.”
Tiwari further said that they have requested the producers to come forward and help.
“Yashraj films have arranged vaccines for 30000 workers for which Yashraj and the federation both together have written a letter to CM. As soon as we get the permission to purchase the vaccines, we will begin to vaccinate our workers,” Tiwari said.
Tiwari is apprehensive about the possible third wave of the coronavirus pandemic and is afraid that in such circumstances the industry will be badly hit, as shooting will come to an unprecedented halt.
“As we need to prepare for ahead days. Workers are in trouble federation is trying their level best to help,” said Tiwari, “Producers, workers, and myriad artists are without work and their business is completely down. No films have been released on the big screen. This is a catastrophic phase for the industry,” he added.
Ashoke Pandit, president of the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association laid down his thoughts over the crisis faced by the industry. Pandit told The Sunday Guardian, “the federation has believes that we should be allowed to shoot in a bio-bubble, in a closed atmosphere like Filmcity.”
Pandit feels that the entertainment industry plays a vital role during such times. As people are locked down in their homes, he believes, their mental health deteriorates and entertainment plays a big part in keeping their spirits high.
“We feel that our industry also comes in the essential industry category because we are entertainers and when people are going through tough phases like these, they need entertainment,” Pandit said
Mayank Shekhar, a well-known Film Critic doesn’t feel that amid the current crisis the government can approve the shoots right away.
“The production side and the exhibition side of the entertainment industry have indeed been crippled,” Shekhar told The Sunday Guardian.
Goa as an alternative doesn’t exist either, and that has led to a halt in several ongoing shoots. The option of stepping outside the country also off the table, as myriad countries have red-listed the incoming travel from India.