MUMBAI: Ground zero of the entertainment industry, Mumbai, has been on standstill for over three months. Finally, the wheels have begun moving as production across film, TV and OTT have resumed. GECs, which had resorted to showing re-runs and movies during the lockdown, have begun reshooting their shows.
&TV's Ek Mahanayak Dr BR Ambedkar and Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein have also resumed shooting. Zee TV shows Kundali Bhagya and Kumkum Bhagya have restarted shoot with a limited crew. Star Plus popular daily soaps Ye Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Kasauti Zindagii Ki, Yeh Rishte Hai Pyaar Ke and Ye Hai Chahatein have resumed shooting.
Enterr10 Television Network’s Dangal TV has resumed shooting for Pyar Ki Luka Chuppi and Devi Adi Parashakti. The shooting is taking place at Naigaon and Umbergaon.
Enterr10 Television Network head of marketing Arpit Machhar says, “While we are very excited about resuming shoots and enthusiasm levels are very high, we all have a responsible role to play. Safety and well being of all present on sets is extremely important. We are constantly communicating with our on-set production teams and have briefed and advised them on introducing additional necessary measures that might be required in addition to following the guidelines that have already been laid down. Our production teams are well equipped and will ensure that while the shoot has resumed, all guidelines and rules will be adhered to.”
Dangal TV gained significant viewers and today, it is one of the most popular Hindi GECs. It emerged as the undisputed leader in the rural Hindi speaking market (HSM), while maintaining a decent hold in urban areas as well.
Colors also started TV shoots for its show Shakti-Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, Choti Sarrdaarni and Barrister Babu in Palghar and Thane. Its tentpole show Khatron Ke Khiladi 10 also returns on the channel. New episodes have started airing from 27 June. KKK10 airs on Colors at 9 pm every Saturday and Sunday. It aired the last episode on 29 March 2020, a few days after the nationwide lockdown was imposed.
A source from Viacom18 told indiantelevision.com that though it aired some episodes in the first few days of the lockdown, upon realising that there is no fixed date when normalcy will return, the makers decided to halt the show. As all the episodes are pre-shot, the makers didn’t want it to get consumed before the last episode is ready. The final few episodes are likely to be shot by the end of July.
KKK season 10 features contestants namely Karan Patel, Karishma Tanna, Shivin Narang, Dharmesh Yelande, Tejaswi Prakash, Adaa Khan, Balraj Syal while contestants who are evicted from the show are Amruta Khanvilkar, RJ Malishka and Rani Chatterjee.
The channel announced the airing of new episodes with a video of contestant Dharmesh Yelande on social media.
Last week Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) issued an official statement saying that the network has obtained all required government permissions to resume production.
It read, “The network is working closely with its production partners to ensure shoots resume in a controlled environment with strict compliance to all necessary government rules, regulations and safety protocols. At SPN, health, hygiene and sanitisation are taken very seriously, and the network is doing all that it can to ensure the safety of its cast, crew and production partners. Other than cast and crew members, visitors will not be allowed on the sets.”
The network also informed that effective from July 2020 to December 2020, full payments of the cast and crew will be released within a 30-day time frame, unlike the usual 90-day period. The channel will also bear 100 per cent of the Covid2019 insurance cost for its cast and crew. It has also asked the producers working with Sony TV to strictly adhere to all government guidelines.
Barrister Bahu producer Shashi Mittal told news agency PTI, “All this is new to all of us. It is the new normal, but it is not normal. It was essential to make it a habit, so we trained our crew members for ten days before shooting began. There is a small team, so there is warmth. We will become more comfortable slowly. This is a difficult time, and everyone is being cautious.”
