ITV

Tag: TV serials

  • No more TV & film shoots in Goa, govt enforces 15-day lockdown

    No more TV & film shoots in Goa, govt enforces 15-day lockdown

    New Delhi: With one of the highest rate of Covid2019 infections in the country, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Friday announced a state-wide curfew in the state from 9 May to 23 May.

    According to government data, Goa has recorded a positivity rate of 41 per cent, which has surpassed the infection rates in Delhi as well as Mumbai. “The positivity rate and death rate are increasing in the state. There is no shortage of oxygen and medicines in the state. A detailed order regarding the state-level curfew will be released by 4 pm on Saturday,” said Sawant.

    The announcement comes hours after the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) cancelled all permissions granted for film and television serial shootings in the state in the wake of the raging pandemic. The ESG is Goa government’s nodal agency empowered to give permission for commercial shootings in the state.

    Several film and TV serial makers from Mumbai and Chennai had recently shifted their sets to Goa after strict restrictions were imposed in Maharashtra and other states.

    “We will not allow any shooting of films or television serials in public or private properties till the Covid2019 situation in the state comes under control,” ESG vice president Subhash Faldesai told PTI.

    All those currently shooting films and serials in Goa have also been asked to wind up their schedules. The ESG said it will review its decision only after the situation is under control.

    On Thursday, Goa reported its highest daily tally so far with 3,869 Covid2019 cases that took the count of infections to 1,08,267.

  • Kolkata TV show producers resume shooting with innovative mechanisms

    Kolkata TV show producers resume shooting with innovative mechanisms

    KOLKATA: Despite having witnessed one of the worst ever cyclones in the recent past, Kolkata resumed TV productions in early June. After months of lockdown causing a financial stress to numerous people, a part of the Tollywood returned to the sets. A number of guidelines now have to be followed while shooting but it has given hope to production house representatives as well as others related to the TV industry that they can work in safe ways.

    SVF vice president- television Arabinda Dasgupta says that there wasn’t much difficulty in resuming and even productivity had not gone down. He adds that rigorous sanitisation, regular temperature screenings, protocols of social distancing are being followed diligently. Currently, SVF‘s TV division has five dailies on different channels. 

    While the mandate is 35 people inside the shooting zone as per the mandate, Dasgupta says that they are voluntarily limiting it to 25 people. Moreover, storylines are twisted to avoid physical proximity. It even carried out workshops with directors, DOPs to adhere to social distancing norms while shooting. However, in the case of unavoidable intimate scenes, the plan is to use mannequins. All shoots outside studios are deliberately being avoided to keep out crowding.

    Despite all the extra measures, Dasgupta says that churning out new episodes is not taking more time than usual as it has “a fantastic SOP.”

    Susanta Das, who owns a production house Tent Cinema and runs Boyhood Production jointly with Nispal Singh Rane, reflects the same tone. Das, who has serials on all three major broadcasters, says that the stricter norms is not delaying day-to-day affairs but rather making it easier for them to finish on time as now they have to wrap up by 8 pm. He adds that the shooting needed to resume given the large number of people associated with it. 

    Das reassures that they are using sanitisers, checking the temperature with thermal guns and not allowing anyone to go out of the floor unnecessarily and even forbidding crowding at sets to ensure safety. 

    However, he shares that the new normal is very unusual as shooting needs many people to work closely together on the floor but they are adhering to new kinds of storytelling to ensure social distancing. They, too, will use mannequins going forward if scripts demand intimacy.

    Sudeshna Roy, an actor and producer, says that as the shooting for film and digital original content is yet to resume, they are currently working on post-production. She shares that film shooting is not organised like TV serials and cannot be limited to studios. Hence, it needs robust planning which is being currently worked on. 

    The West Bengal government issued a notification on 30 May allowing shootings from 1 June with a maximum of 35 people. But due to several complexities, it took some time to finally resume the shootings. There was a stand-off between producers and artists forum regarding insurance which got solved later. 

  • Corona impact: Film editors’ association stops shooting

    Corona impact: Film editors’ association stops shooting

    MUMBAI: The Association of Film and Video Editors has decided to stop the shooting of TV serials, web series, etc. from 19 till 31 March 2020 in view of the epidemic spread of Corona Covid 19 Virus.

    The decision has been taken as per the directive and decision taken by producers' body and federation, said a press release.

    Thus, the editors and post production work for the shoot till 18 March will have to be completed latest by 20 March. Further, as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward situation, the association has directed all the editors of films, TV serials, web series etc. to stop the editing and post production work from 21 March. 

    Re-scheduling of the work will be notified further on or after 31 March. The association has requested all the editors to compulsorily abide by the directive  for the sake of the wellness of the editors and other working members and their families.

    The press release informed that the vigilance team of the federation and the association will be on the vigil  to ensure if the directives have been adhered by the editors. 

    If anybody is found working on the editing and post production during this period, relevant action will be taken against them, said the association Hon General Secretary Ram Kishore Prasad.

  • BJP against ban on Indian movies in Pakistan

    BJP against ban on Indian movies in Pakistan

    NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party is concerned over news reports from across the border that a Pakistani Court has imposed restrictions on screening of Indian Hindi films all across Pakistan.

     

    This comes close after Pakistan electronic media regulator recently slapped fines worth Rs 10 million on 10 entertainment Pakistan channels for airing excessive Indian films and TV serials, but BJP Convener for Overseas  Affairs said Indian films have always strengthened bilateral relations between the two nations.

     

    In a letter to the Pakistan High Commissioner, he said popular Bollywood movies promote cross-cultural friendship. Many Pakistanis watch Bollywood films since they understand Hindi due to its linguistic similarity to Urdu. Each year Indian Bollywood produces 900 films. ‘Your Lahore based Lollywood has always considered Mumbai Bollywood as its competitor. But a court petition by a known anti India Pakistan film producer Mubshir Lucman demanding that Indian movies completely shot in India and sponsored by an Indian cannot be screened in your country is “Retrogressive” and BJP is opposed to such demands and ban.’

     

    In modern times Pakistani actors, gazal, qawwali and Sufi singers perform freely in India. Pakistan TV shows have been equally popular in India. But India never imposed a ban on Pak artistes. Though Pakistan had banned Hindi films release from year 1965 to 2008, but prominent Indian films like Tere Bin Laden, The Dirty Picture, David, Khiladi 786, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Ek Tha Tiger, Agent Vinod and Chennai Express in recent times did not get the clearance from Pakistan Film Censor Board. BJP considers it to be a regrettable decision, Jolly said.

     

    Bollywood movies in Pakistan has led to new Cineplexes coming up in major Pakistan cities like Islamabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore. “Pakistanis love Indian movies. These have brought Pak viewers back to your cinema halls. We understand that nearly eight million Pakistanis go to movies on a daily basis. Employment and business is generated.”

     

    “But the new tax regime proposed by your government is the real stumbling block. The adjustable withholding tax levied on all foreign films and TV serials have given birth to ‘fake papers & black market’ film sector industry in your country. You ban the pirated film copies and we understand it. But the genuine film industry and the viewers should not suffer. We urge you to take this issue with the government of Pakistan and ensure a level playing field for Indian film industry in Pakistan entertainment sector”, he said.

  • Sahara One looks to start a debate with a new series

    Sahara One looks to start a debate with a new series

    MUMBAI: As India evolves, so do Indian families. Typically the older generation remains tied to tradition, while the younger generation wants to break away from age old customs and beliefs. People recognise this in their own families. For years, television, that great mirror of society, has focused on the changing dynamic in relationships. Now soon Sahara One will be airing content that will capture evolving relationships between mothers in law and daughters in law who are the linchpins of the Indian family.

    The interaction between a mother in law and daughter in law has changed considerably. This leads to them having a difference of opinion that has to be negotiated with great sensitivity and patience. The forthcoming show on Sahara One will weave all this into a story that will have not just entertainment value, but will start a lively debate. Viewers can look forward to a dynamic story line, characters and situations that they can relate to.

    Women who watch TV serials want to see women-centric content. This has always been the case. However things are a little different now. They no longer want froth and frivolity; instead they want to watch content that starts a debate and brings subjects that are not openly discussed, into the limelight. And here is where Sahara One is looking to score with their brand new serial set to air soon.

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