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EXCLUSIVE: ‘Television industry has come back on track’: TV artists on present situation & their challenges
JD Majethia, Sudhanshu Pandey and Benaifer Kohli on the present situation in the Hindi television industry.
After the recent reported curb in the Covid-19 cases and ease in certain restrictions, the film and TV shoots seem to be getting back on track. While certain all-time favorite shows continue to dominate the small screen, many new daily soaps and reality shows have also kick-started recently, which includes Balika Vadhu 2 and Khatron Ke Khiladi 11 among many others. The viewers are also eagerly waiting for Salman Khan’s TV version of Bigg Boss, while the ongoing OTT version continues to win the audiences’ hearts.
Wagle Ki Duniya – Nayi Peedhi Naye Kissey producer JD Majethia, who is also the Chairman of Indian Film and Television Producers Council’s TV and web wing, echoes the same sentiment. “The television industry has come back on track quite a lot. There are a few challenges that still exist, like restrictions on shooting in the outdoors. However, we are still under multiple self control so that we don’t have to face the same challenges again. So yes, we are happier than earlier when the shoots were completely off, but now we are hoping to get back to complete normalcy, where we can shoot without any restrictions,” says Mejethia.
He adds the present shooting situation is better than what it was earlier. “We are following all the necessary precautions, like having a doctor on the set all the time, sanitisation, and in fact my staff even today stays on the set to avoid meeting many people. The TV industry has battled the situation well in the past too, and we will continue doing so,” he informs.
Sudhanshu Pandey of Anupamaa also states that while things are pretty much back to normal, they are continuing to follow all the protocols and safety measures on the set. “We make sure that everyone is wearing their masks. There are sanitizers all around, and I think it has become a part of our daily routine now. So it feels more or less pretty much normal to be shooting and working the way we are,” says Sudhanshu, adding that even during the second wave of Covid, the producers presented a brave front, traveled outside Mumbai, and stationed themselves in places where shooting was allowed.
“We were all working in our own bio bubbles, and it’s been a blessing for the technicians especially because they are daily wagers, and their every day bread and butter is earned by working daily. If there would have been a gap of 2 to 3 months then they would’ve really taken a huge hit. So hats off to all the producers too who didn’t give up,” says Sudhanshu.
Last year we thought that we'll all hold hands and come out of this entire Corona situation, but after that we went through a lockdown because of the second wave, but we are all hopeful
Benaifer Kohli
Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai producer Benaifer Kohli also shares her opinion. “Last year we thought that we'll all hold hands and come out of this entire Corona situation, but after that we went through a lockdown because of the second wave, but we are all hopeful. See I only know how to make television programs, and in order to continue doing so i’ll take all the necessary precautions. We have faced many problems in the past, and will battle with this one too. The channel, actors and the technicians have all been very supportive throughout this time, and without them I am a nobody. My team on the sets and in the channel is the best,” Kohli states.
She adds that they were prepared for the second wave, and are prepared for the third wave too, if it happens. “We have not lessened any of our precautions, as we truly want to protect ourselves. We won’t put our weapons down till the time we know that the war is over. Till then we won’t let any arrow touch us. Also, during the lockdown we have got a lot more audience, and they have been loving our comedy. I also saw a few new shows on TV over the weekend, and I think some of them have great potential. So I am indeed looking at a bright future,” she signs off.
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