Happy to get back to work amid the pandemic,
Vivek Anand Oberoi
took to social media to announce the same and shared a video in which he was seen walking in for the photoshoot of his upcoming film,
Rosie
: The Saffron Chapter. The movie, which marks the Bollywood debut of TV actress Shweta Tiwari’s daughter Palak, is special for Vivek, too, as it is one of the two projects with which he turns producer.
Talking about handling the dual responsibility of being an actor as well as a producer during a time like this, he says, “There was a lot of pressure, as a producer, you are taking the decision of calling people to work at a time when they are not sure (about gathering on a set and their safety). Normally, you don’t think twice before booking a floor at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, but in these times, it is a long process as protocols need to be followed.”
Vivek says that the pre-prep and following the regulations took a toll on him as an actor. He adds, “As a producer, I took care of the shoot, followed all the precautions, but between all this, as an actor, I had to face the camera, too. So, while behind the camera, I was busy taking care of all that, in front of it, I had to focus on the shot. It should come naturally to me, as I have been in the industry for 18 years, but the additional responsibility was taxing.”
Vivek was especially worried when one crew member raised an alarm as he felt unwell. He shares, “When one of the members fell ill, I prayed that it wasn’t due to COVID-19. Later, we got to know that it was the usual flu. On the set, even if one coughs in a crowd of 40-50 people, the whole crew freezes, wondering whether it is because of the coronavirus.”