Bollywood, TV shoots to be halted amid new restrictions

Bollywood and television shoots in Maharashtra will be halted, the state government announced, as part of the new guidelines issued in a bid to curb the rise of COVID-19. 

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said new restrictions will be implemented in the state from April 14 till May 1, 7 am.

The new order, concerning films and television is a part of a 17-page order, titled ‘Break The Chain’ guidelines, that states all shoots of films, television and advertisement will be put on hold for the above mentioned period. Until this order, shoots in the state were operating with restrictions like avoiding filming scenes with large crowds or background dancers and no shoots during the weekend lockdown.

Films like Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathan, Salman Khan-led Tiger 3 and megastar Amitabh Bachchan’s Goodbye were filming with these restrictions.

Many filmmakers were waiting for the Maharashtra government’s call on a supposed lockdown so as to decide the future of their current productions. 

The film and TV shoots in the country were first halted in 2020 after the coronavirus-induced lockdown happened in March. After a gap of more than six months, popular television shows resumed shooting, and gradually film productions followed. 

In the wake of the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases, the Maharashtra government had previously announced shutting down of theatres, causing distress to the exhibition sector as many big films were eyeing releases in the coming months.

 

Image courtesy of (File photo)

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