MUMBAI: Now that most shows have resumed on TV, the entertainment is back on. However, the new experience of shooting is something that even actors are getting used to. While Kumkum Bhagya’s Mugdha Chaphekar is excited to meet her unit and the cast after three months, Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega actor Nishant Singh Malkani is most concerned about performing the same as before.
Malkani further adds that currently the biggest challenge before every producer, actor or technician is to ensure safety. He says, “We need to wear masks and gloves after each shot. We use a sanitiser before removing or wearing the mask and gloves. There are very intricate details which we have to follow to avoid any mishap. It is easy to take precautions while you are at home but it is difficult when you are in a group of 50 to 60 people. And seeing everyone in PPE kits makes me feel like I’m entering a laboratory.”
Maddam Sir actress Bhavika Sharma finds it difficult to shoot with less number of crew members. She mentions that earlier a lot of work was done by other people, but it is not possible now considering the Covid2019 situation. It’s also necessary to sit far away from each other on the set and so the fun element is reduced.
According to Chaphekar people are alert about what they touch all the time. She also thinks that maintaining distance while shooting with everyone is also tough, but till now everything has been going smooth on the set.
Most of the crew members are staying on the set, and actors are preferably using their own vehicle to travel to ensure the least number of people come from outside. “I take the care myself, so I don't have to worry about it. In fact, I clean my car every day and sanitise everything and take all the necessary precautions to ensure safe travel to and fro from the set,” Chaphekar further adds.
Actors highlight that they prefer to do their own makeup. Malkani shares that earlier, each actor used to have a separate hair and makeup artist but now there are only two makeup artists available on set. They just supervise the actors and if there is any mistake, they sanitise their hand and follow all the guidelines before fixing it.
While most of the actors are getting scripts digitally to avoid any contact through papers Chaphekar points out that she gets her script on the set itself. She adds, “We get our scripts in our rooms when we arrive. So straight away, I spray my script with a sanitizer and keep it aside for a bit. After that, I read it out and prepare all my lines. Furthermore, I do not carry it to the set, so it is always safe to touch.” However, the actors are not allowed to share their mobile phones.
Despite all the changes, the only thing that has remained constant is the shift timings which stays from 7 am to 7 pm.
