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Tag: Coronavirus

  • Covid relief: Sunrisers Hyderabad donates Rs 30 crore

    Covid relief: Sunrisers Hyderabad donates Rs 30 crore

    KERALA: Sun TV Network, owners of IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad, has donated Rs 30 crore towards India’s Covid2019 relief efforts. The amount donated by Sun TV will be used to undertake Covid relief works carried out by the central and state governments along with various other non-profits. 

    “Sun TV Network is donating a sum of Rs 30 crore to provide relief to those affected by the second wave of the Covid pandemic. This will be spent on several initiatives currently underway at various states of India including the following: 1. Donations to the various programmes initiated by the government of India and state governments. 2. Partnering with NGOs that are providing oxygen cylinders, medicines, etc,” said Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

    The former IPL champions also added that Sun TV will leverage its resources and media assets to spread greater awareness among millions of its television viewing audiences. 

    Meanwhile, Honda India Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of all Honda group companies in India, has also pledged to donate Rs 6.5 crore to the country’s Covid relief efforts. 

    As a part of this, Honda India Foundation will also set up Covid care isolation centers and oxygen production plants in the country. The company revealed that the temporary Covid isolation centers will start functioning from next week. According to reports, Honda India Foundation is closely working with states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana to set up oxygen plants.

    After reporting more than 4,00,000 fresh Covid cases for three consecutive days, India witnessed a slight dip in positive cases on May 9. On Sunday, the country reported over 3,60,000 fresh cases and 3,748 Covid-related deaths.  

  • Filmmakers’ hopes dashed again as second Covid wave runs rampant

    Filmmakers’ hopes dashed again as second Covid wave runs rampant

    KERALA: The Indian film industry was beginning to show signs of a feeble revival early this year. As restrictions eased and Covid cases declined, people began returning to the theatres to relive the cinematic experience. The relief, however, did not last long. Now, with the second wave of Covid2019 showing no signs of abating, the industry’s future is in jeopardy yet again.

    India has recorded a record 4.01 lakh new cases of Covid in the last 24 hours and lost over 4,194 people who were battling with its complications. The deteriorating situation has compelled filmmakers to reconsider the release of their projects. Some have taken the streaming route, but even that faced hurdles, as the situation continued to worsen, impacting viewership across all mediums.

    Filmmakers put brakes on new releases

    The makers of Farhan Akhtar-starred Toofan have postponed the release of the movie due to the surge in Covid cases. The film was slated to release on Amazon Prime Video on 21 May. In a statement shared on social media, Akhtar said the current focus is only on the pandemic.

    “The situation in India is truly heart-breaking… In light of the severity of the situation, our focus is completely on the pandemic and on supporting our employees, their families, and helping the wider community. Therefore, we have decided to postpone the release of our film Toofan until the situation improves,” he tweeted. 

     

     

    Makers of Telugu flick Khiladi, which stars Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja in the lead role, have also decided to defer its theatrical outing. The movie was initially scheduled to come to cinemas on 28 May; a new date of release is yet to be announced.

     

     

    Wait for theatrical releases gets longer

    According to the latest updates, Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham (which bagged the Best Feature Film honour at the 67th National Film Awards) is scheduled to hit the screens on 12 August 2021. The film was slated for a 23 March release but was postponed to 13 May due to the first phase of the Covid outbreak. As the marauding virus showed no signs of slowing down, the makers again pushed back the release to 12 August. With a third wave imminent, the August release could also get impacted. If the situation persists, producers may look for other options like direct OTT releases or hybrid releases as the content will get outdated. 

    “Even though it is too early to comment, current developments indicate that theatres in the country will not open in June or July, especially because vaccination is progressing slowly, and the number of fresh cases is rising phenomenally. Not just Maharashtra, most of the states are witnessing a sudden surge in cases,” said Elara Capital vice president and research analyst (media and consumer discretionary) Karan Taurani. 

    A potential third wave?

    As India struggles to combat the second wave, the government has issued warnings for a potential third wave that could hit the country later this year. According to principal scientific advisor to the PM Dr KV Vijay Raghavan, the third wave of Covid is inevitable. “The next outbreak could turn deadlier and it is not clear on what timescale this phase 3 will occur,” he added. “Hopefully, incrementally, but we should prepare for new waves. New variants will arise all over the world and in India too.”

    The dire warning comes at a time when the pandemic has already taken a toll on the Indian film industry. Following the Coronavirus outbreak, several production houses postponed the releases of their films, while some of them opted for OTT premieres. Although some Bollywood movies like Mumbai Saga and Roohi got a theatrical showing earlier this year, they failed to make an impact at the box office. 

    Will Radhe light the way ahead?

    Radhe is the first Indian movie that is set to get a hybrid release this May. The Salman Khan-starrer will hit theatres on 13 May and simultaneously premiere on Zee5 and Zee Plex as a pay-per-view. If the Covid situation persists in the country for long, several big-budget movies are likely to follow in Radhe’s footsteps. 

    “Considering the current trend, makers of big-budget movies like Sooryavanshi may not hold the movies for a long time. They may prefer an OTT release or hybrid release. The second wave might go quickly, we do not know,” opined Karan. 

    Given this uncertainty, most big-ticket, mass market films, both Bollywood and regional, have vanished from the upcoming release slate. Depending on how Radhe performs at the box office despite strict restrictions in several states and the success of the pay-per-view showing, which is yet to take off in India, hybrid release may be a ray of hope to industry stakeholders.

  • IPL 2021 in limbo, will it get a follow-on?

    IPL 2021 in limbo, will it get a follow-on?

    KERALA: With the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 suspended indefinitely due to the devastating second wave of Covid2019, the fate of the rest of the tournament now hangs in the balance. 29 out of the 60 games have been played so far, while 31 matches still remain in the current season. 

    The decision to postpone the IPL comes at a time when a host of brands bank on the tournament for their marketing initiatives and many were already in the process of launching new promotional campaigns. 

    With the bio-secure bubble pierced by the Coronavirus, several players and support staff contracting the infection and the country in the throes of a full-fledged Covid crisis, it is anybody’s guess whether the IPL 2021 will be back for a second innings.

    Possibilities of rescheduling the IPL 

    Last year, due to the Covid outbreak, the IPL was played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with no in-stadia audience. Even though all the games were played in empty stadiums, the 2020 edition was a great success in terms of television viewership. With a total of 400 billion viewing minutes on TV, IPL 2020 clocked a substantial jump in total consumption over IPL 2019, which witnessed 326 billion viewing minutes. 

    As India is a country where cricket is considered an emotion among millions, BCCI may think to adopt the same strategy to resume the suspended 2021 edition of the league. It should be noted that June and July are monsoon months in India, and it will be practically impossible to host cricket tournaments during these months. Moreover, the possibility of a Covid third wave is also compelling the BCCI to consider other venues like the UAE. 

    “The suspension of IPL within four weeks is an indicator that it’s not really safe to host a global event of that magnitude at a time when the country is fighting its worst health crisis in the last 70 years. There is a chance of a third wave hitting the Indian shores in November. So while BCCI will remain the hosts, the tournament will probably shift to the UAE,” a top BCCI official told PTI. 

    BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla said, “We will see if we can get any suitable time for the IPL event later in the year. It may be September, but for now, it will only be speculation. The situation as of now is that we are not organising the tournament.” 

    Shukla also assured Star Sports that the tournament is not cancelled, but postponed, and made it clear that the ongoing 2021 edition will be revived when the situation improves. 

    “In due course, when the Covid situation improves, a decision will be taken about it,” he reportedly told broadcasters Star Sports.

    A possible revival of IPL 2021 will happen only after the World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand from 18 to 22 June 2021. In all probabilities, BCCI will likely wrap up the remaining 31 matches of the IPL before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup that is expected to begin on 18 October. 

    IPL provided much-needed relief to Indian audiences.

    Even though the IPL received mixed reactions from people amid the second wave of the pandemic, industry experts strongly believed that cricket matches in the evening provided much-needed relief to Indian audiences. The TV ratings of IPL matches this year were also unabated, and some matches featuring top teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) witnessed record viewership. 

    “One must also acknowledge that while it was ongoing over the last few weeks, the IPL provided three to four hours of much-needed diversion and relief to the Indian masses who are reeling under a barrage of bad news on the Covid front. Secondly, the value of any enterprise is based on its future cash earning capacity. To our mind, while there will be some revenue loss this year, the future revenue generation ability of the IPL is undiminished,” said Duff & Phelps MD & head – valuation advisory APAC Varun Gupta. 

    Australian players stranded in India

    Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) has made it clear that it will not seek exemption from a government-imposed travel ban for flights from India. It was around a few days back that the Australian government temporarily barred its citizens from entering the country if they happened to be in India within 14 days of their scheduled arrival. 

    “CA and the ACA respect the decision of the Australian Government to pause travel from India until at least May 15 and will not seek exemptions,” said CA and Australian Cricketers’ Association in a joint statement. 

    However, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said that they will make all necessary arrangements to expedite all players safely from India. 

     

     

  • From Maharashtra to Punjab, how TV industry is navigating Covid’s second wave

    From Maharashtra to Punjab, how TV industry is navigating Covid’s second wave

    KERALA: The second wave of Covid2019 that is wreaking havoc in India has reshaped the way in which television shows are made and broadcasted. As several states including Maharashtra have suspended the shooting of TV shows due to the surge in Covid cases, producers are now choosing states like Punjab to complete the filming of ongoing projects. 

    Producers compelled to shift shoots to other states

    During the initial days of shooting suspension, most showrunners shifted to states like Goa and Karnataka to complete their pending shoots. And now, as several states have started imposing strict restrictions, producers are going further afield – moving to Punjab, Gujarat, and Rajasthan to quickly film the pending episodes. 

    For television producers, this inter-state expedition is a costly proposition, especially because the shooting in these states has to be carried out in adherence to all Covid protocols. 

    “Shooting in other states outside Maharashtra is undoubtedly a very expensive deal, and producers are struggling financially. We are quickly trying to complete the filming of pending episodes in states like Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Punjab. We are facing huge loss, but the show must go on,” said Indian Films and Television Producers Council chairman JD Majethia. 

    Filming of non-fiction shows impacted

    According to Majethia, production of non-fiction shows has been largely impacted due to Covid restrictions, especially due to the huge funds and infrastructure involved in the filming process. 

    “Even in normal scenarios, running a non-fiction show is very challenging, and now, during the time of the pandemic, it has become more challenging than ever before. Contestants who participate in these shows come from different cities, and producers should take care of various things including their accommodation. We have to be very careful to ensure that no person in the sets is infected. It is a financial and moral responsibility, and it is stressful too,” added Majethia. 

    The actor-director also noted that it is really difficult to replicate everything on the new sets that are being erected to ensure continuity of shows. 

    Artists and technicians stranded in various states

    IFTPC revealed that several artists from Maharashtra are currently stranded in other states. To avoid this situation, producers have urged the government to permit the shooting of television shows within Maharashtra, and assured that filming will take place by maintaining all Covid protocols. Majethia also added that producers in Maharashtra are ready to work together with the government to curb the spread of the pandemic. 

    “There are several technicians and artists who are now in other states for shooting activities. To enter Maharashtra and to go back to other states for filming is not an easy task, as RT-PCR tests are mandatory to enter other regions. We also love to be a part of the government’s initiative to curb the spread of the pandemic,” added IFTPC. 

    Majethia went on to mention that the lockdown imposed in Goa has negatively affected the filming of many shows that had switched production bases to the smallest state in the country. 

    However, Goa Line Producers Association president Sandeep Korecha revealed that the lockdown has not affected indoor shooting. 

    “We are allowed to shoot at indoor venues, until May 30, even during the lockdown. Outdoor shoots aren’t permitted. We have also been asked to shoot with minimum crew members. We put an indicator on our vehicles so that they’re allowed to pass during the lockdown,” said Korecha during a recent interview with The Times of India.

    Television shows essential during Covid times

    Following the spate of restrictions in several states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, and Kerala, people are now confined to their homes, and for them, the primary means of entertainment is the television. Citing this point, Majethia claimed that makers of TV programs also come under essential services. 

    “People are depressed and frustrated due to the Covid pandemic. Entertainment is very much necessary at this time. Getting ample doses of entertainment will act as a medicine for depressed people,” he asserted. 

    Meanwhile, several television personalities have also succumbed to the deadly virus in recent days. On 30 April, actor and anchor Kanupriya died days after contracting Covid. She was known for her roles in Bhanwar, Ananro, Kahi Aek Gaon, Kartavya, Meri Kahani, Tesu Ke Phool and Tumhara Intezar Hai.  

    On 10 April, veteran Punjabi actor Satish Kaul, who had featured in BR Chopra’s Mahabharat, passed away due to Covid-related complications. 

    Television actor Divya Bhatnagar, best known for her role in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, died due to Covid2019 in December last year. She was just 34. 

  • MP, Odisha & Bihar declare journalists frontline workers; Centre still mum

    MP, Odisha & Bihar declare journalists frontline workers; Centre still mum

    KERALA: As the second wave of Covid2019 continues to wreak havoc in India, the states of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar have declared journalists as frontline workers, so that the media community can avail prioritised vaccination against the deadly pathogen. 

    “Corona vaccine will be given to journalists on a priority basis in the state. Journalists [are] doing their best during these pandemic times. They are making people aware of the dangers associated with coronavirus infection,” tweeted Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday.

     

     

    After classifying scribes as frontline warriors, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said that news mediapersons in the country are working hard to provide seamless newsfeed amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

    The decision from these two states comes at a time when the Editors Guild of India has urged the central government to assign journalists frontline worker status.  

    “Few weeks ago, EGI had demanded that journalists be declared as frontline workers and be vaccinated on priority to protect them from the new variant. Despite the support from various state governments and media organisations, the central government has not responded to this request. Now, even though vaccination has been technically opened for all above 18 years of age, there is an acute shortage of vaccines. Therefore the Guild’s urgent demand that journalists be given priority along with other frontline workers,” said the Guild in a recent statement. 

    The body also urged all media organisations in the nation to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of their men and women in the field and in newsrooms.

    A few days back, the Uttarakhand government had also classified journalists as frontline workers. The state’s CM Tirath Singh Rawat has ordered the vaccination of all journalists and representatives of media organisations. 

    Last week, India reached the grim milestone of 4 lakh new Covid cases reported in a single day. On May 2, the country recorded over 3,68,000 fresh cases and 3,417 deaths. The total number of active cases in the country is now at 34,13,642. 

  • Covid surge: Kerala government orders suspension of movie, TV filming

    Covid surge: Kerala government orders suspension of movie, TV filming

    KERALA: Earlier this month, the Maharashtra government enforced a state-wide halt on film and TV shooting, and given the second wave of Covid is spreading like wildfire in the nation, it was only a matter of time before other states followed suit. Now, the Kerala government has issued guidelines to suspend filming in the state. 

    Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, during his routine press conference at 5.30pm, informed media outlets that directions have been given to stop serial and film shooting in the state until further notice. Earlier, TV serial and film shoots in Ernakulam were suspended following the rise in Covid cases, and now the government has decided to suspend it in the entire state. 

    Last year, in March, LDF-led dispensation had shut down film and serial shooting in the state, and the industry was silent for more than two months. Later, in May, the government allowed resumption of shooting under strict Covid restrictions. 

    Due to the suspension of filming TV series, several top Malayalam channels including Asianet, Surya TV, Flowers, Zee Malayalam, and Mazhavil Manorama had tided over the content crunch by re-telecasting old shows and already-aired episodes of television serials. 

    On 29 April, Kerala’s Covid graph hit another high with 38,607 cases. The average test positivity rate in the state is 24.5 per cent as of Thursday. 

    Meanwhile, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) has urged the government to lock down the state. However, Pinarayi Vijayan stated that a complete lockdown is not possible, but stricter restrictions will be put in place. He also advised the public to go into “self-lockdown”, underscoring the gravity of the situation and appealing to citizens to help contain the surge in caseloads.

  • Covid relief: Now you can find hospital beds on Truecaller

    Covid relief: Now you can find hospital beds on Truecaller

    NEW DELHI: As India battles the deadly second wave of the Covid2019 pandemic, many brands have stepped up by contributing to the relief efforts. The latest company that joins this list of good samaritans is Truecaller, which has launched a Covid healthcare directory in the nation. 

    This new feature helps users to locate hospitals and can be accessed from either the menu or the dialer within the beta version of the Truecaller Android app.

    “In light of the recent rise in cases, it’s important that Truecaller helps in any way we can. We decided to make it as easy as possible for everyone in India to find medical care near them. It can be hard to find the right healthcare numbers when you need it most, so we’ve added it to the app,” said the caller ID app in a recent statement. 

    The healthcare directory contains telephone numbers and addresses of Covid designated hospitals from multiple states across the nation. Truecaller has made this directory by sourcing from official government databases. 

    Truecaller users can use the search button to locate Covid hospitals near their location. However, the directory will not provide any details regarding the availability of hospital beds. 

    The company also revealed that it will update the numbers and contact details of hospitals every day and will include hospital phone numbers from as many areas in India as available. 

  • Covid relief: Hyundai announces Rs 20 crore package for worst-hit states

    Covid relief: Hyundai announces Rs 20 crore package for worst-hit states

    MUMBAI: To aid India’s Covid relief efforts, Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), the philanthropic arm of Hyundai Motor India, has announced a Rs 20 crore relief package. The amount from Hyundai Motor India will be used for a series of initiatives to offer infrastructural assistance to the most affected states of Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. 

    Through this fresh step in Hyundai’s Covid relief programs, the company will deploy resources to set up oxygen generating plants in hospitals, to aid critical patients and help hospitals become self-sufficient in oxygen. 

    Apart from this, the HMIF will also aid the installation of medicare facilities and provide support staff to various hospitals and cater to their operational cost for the next three months and further if needed, Hyundai Motor India Limited said in a statement. 

    “The second wave of this Covid2019 Pandemic has triggered an unprecedented crisis for the nation. In times of despair we often lose hope amidst the chaos, but it is also times such as these that bring out the best of humanity within us all. To offer meaningful assistance to the most affected cities and states, Hyundai has redeployed its resources and channelled efforts that will provide relief during these difficult circumstances. We are organising resources on a war footing and hope to help in abating this crisis,” said HMIL managing director and CEO SS Kim. 

    In the statement, HMIL made it clear that the relief package offered by the company is to ”ensure timely assistance is delivered to highly affected cities and states the company is evaluating all options to expedite the deployment of these resources on a war footing.” 

    Hyundai has also announced a vaccination drive among its employees, aged 45 and above at its manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu through the office of the Sriperumbudur government primary health centre. 

  • Apple and Vivo pledge to aid India in Covid relief efforts

    Apple and Vivo pledge to aid India in Covid relief efforts

    NEW DELHI: As India is battling the deadly second wave of Covid2019, smartphone manufacturers Vivo India and Apple have pledged to aid the country in Covid relief efforts. Vivo India has announced that they will donate Rs 2 crore and also help to acquire oxygen concentrators. 

    Last year, Vivo India had donated masks, PPE kits, and 50,000 litres of sanitisers to India’s Covid efforts. The company also expressed its gratitude to frontline healthcare workers who are fighting to curb the spread of the Covid pandemic. The smartphone maker has also urged people to follow strict Covid restrictions to combat the challenge posed by the virus sweeping through the country.

    “In the fight against Covid2019, @Vivo_India stands united with the nation and pledges to donate Rs 2 crores to aid relief efforts and acquiring oxygen concentrators. Together, we can and will get through this,” said Vivo India senior executive Nipun Marya. 

    Apple has also extended support to India during this critical time. Apple CEO Tim Cook took to Twitter to announce that the company will provide help to its Apple family and everyone who is fighting the pandemic. 

    “Amid a devastating rise of Covid cases in India, our thoughts are with the medical workers, our Apple family, and everyone there who is fighting through this awful stage of the pandemic. Apple will be donating to support and relief efforts on the ground,” tweeted Cook. 

    Yesterday, Xiaomi stepped up to donate 1,000 oxygen concentrators worth Rs 3 crore to tackle the Covid crisis in India.

    Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has pledged that the company will “continue to use its voice, resources, and technology to aid relief efforts, and support the purchase of critical oxygen concentration devices.” 

    Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that the search engine giant will give Rs 135 crore for medical supplies, organisations supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information. 

    Over the last few weeks, India has been devastated by a record surge in Covid2019 cases. The country’s health infrastructure has been stretched to the breaking point, with shortages reported in medical oxygen cylinders, hospitals beds and critical drugs for Covid treatment. The number of reported cases declined slightly on Tuesday, to 323,144 from the peak of 352,991 the day before, bringing the total cases to nearly 17 million with 192,000 deaths.

  • Google, Microsoft pledge aid to India in fight against Covid2019

    Google, Microsoft pledge aid to India in fight against Covid2019

    NEW DELHI: Google CEO Sundar Pichai and his Microsoft counterpart Satya Nadella have extended their support to India amid a record surge in Covid2019 cases.

    Pichai tweeted, “Devastated to see the worsening Covid crisis in India. Google & Googlers are providing Rs 135 crore in funding to @GiveIndia, @UNICEF for medical supplies, orgs supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information.”

    Taking to Twitter, Nadella said, “I am heartbroken by the current situation in India. I’m grateful the US government is mobilising to help. Microsoft will continue to use its voice, resources, and technology to aid relief efforts, and support the purchase of critical oxygen concentration devices.”

    Amidst the devastating second wave of the Covid pandemic, India reported 3.52 lakh fresh coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. This is the highest single-day spike registered since the onset of the pandemic.

    Pichai’s tweet also had a link to a blog where Google detailed ways to help with their efforts to fight the worsening situation.

    On the blog, Google India country head and vice president Sanjay Gupta detailed how the 135 crore grant from the search giant would work. “This includes two grants from Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, totalling Rs 20 crore ($2.6 million). The first is to GiveIndia to provide cash assistance to families hit hardest by the crisis to help with their everyday expenses. The second will go to UNICEF to help get urgent medical supplies, including oxygen and testing equipment, to where it’s needed most in India. It also includes donations from our ongoing employee giving campaign — so far more than 900 Googlers have contributed Rs 3.7 crore ($500,000) for organisations supporting high-risk and marginalised communities.”

    Moreover, Gupta also informed about increased Ad Grant support for public health information campaigns.

    “Since last year, we’ve helped MyGov and the World Health Organization reach audiences with messages focused on how to stay safe and facts about vaccines. We’re increasing our support today with an additional Rs 112 crore ($15 million) in Ad Grants to local health authorities and non-profits for more language coverage options,” he said.

    Google is already helping India with its core information products like Search and Maps, YouTube and Ads. Covid features on Search are available in India, in English and eight Indian languages, that continue to improve localisation and highlight authoritative information.

    This includes information on where to get testing and vaccines. Maps and Search surface thousands of vaccine sites. Google is also collaborating closely with the ministry of health & family welfare, and with organisations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to support vaccine awareness initiatives, wrote Gupta.

    On YouTube, Google is supporting the Indian government in their vaccine communication strategy. It ran a workshop for 200+ health officials to learn how they can use YouTube to reach audiences across Indian languages with vaccine information.

    Indian conglomerates have also pitched in the efforts to increase production and supply of medical oxygen in the country for the treatment of Covid-positive people.

    The Tata Group announced that it would be importing 24 cryogenic containers to transport liquid oxygen to help overcome its shortage. Reliance Group has also committed to increase supply of oxygen to states where Covid cases are rising; its philanthropic arm Reliance Foundation has scaled up its operations to provide 875 hospital beds to Coronavirus patients in Mumbai, which is one of the worst-affected urban centres in the country.