Shootings to halt again?

With the shooting of  Karan Johar’s  production of Jugg  Jug Jiyo being completed  after coming to a grinding halt with two of the principal actors Neetu Singh and  Varun Dhawan and the film’s  director Raj Mehta reported to have tested Covid positive, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi  almost complete,  the future of film shootings in Bollywood nonetheless appears bleak.

One hears  from reliable sources that the central government may re-impose a ban on all film shootings.

A  source from the government informs this writer, “It is now felt that  the decision to re-open cinemas  and resume  shooting was premature. We should have waited until  next year when the Covid situation would be clearer.  Shooting at the moment is  not safe.”.

Rupali Ganguly who shoots for her popular serial Anupama round the clock says, “Every day we’re rushing against time to complete episodes which during these Covid times  is not an easy task. But we spend so much time together that we forget about Covid once we are on the set every morning. I spend more time with the cast and crew  of Anupama than I do with my own family. I’ve a 7 year old son and  and an old mother-in-law at  home. But the producer Rajan Shahi to whom,  along with director  Romesh Kalra, I give  all  the credit for  the  success of Anupamaa insisted on having me  on board have taken every precaution.”

Saif Ali Khan has spoken to me about how unsafe it felt to shoot and complete Bunty Aur Babli during Covid times. In fact the real reason he has taken paternity leave is to protect his  baby from infection.