TV, film, ad shootings resume in Rajasthan amid the pandemic

With safety norms in place, different cities in Rajasthan are once again witnessing shoots for films, tv shows, web series and music albums after nearly five months. To ensure the safety of the cast and crew, makers are leaving no stone unturned while shooting amid the coronavirus scare. Even the actors are taking precautions to stay safe as they adapting to the new normal.Be it the beautiful lakes of Udaipur, forts and palaces of Jaipur or historical monuments of Jodhpur -- all are buzzing with the sound of lights, camera and action.
Manish Goplani and Vihana Yadav
Doctors on set, only 50% crew members allowed
Jaipur-based line producer Ajay Sharma says, “A lot has changed as we are working in the new normal. We have a doctor (physician) on the set, all crew members, including actors, have to produce a medical as well as fitness test before resuming the shoot. There are sanitisation facilities on the set and every else other than the actors (while shooting) have to wear masks, gloves and keep sanitising their hands.” Ajay, who has organised shoots in Udaipur, Jodhpur and Khimsar, in the past two months, adds, “Soon, Bollywood movies will start shootings in Rajasthan in October.”
A team to keep a check on COVID safety protocols
Udaipur-based line producer Sanjay Soni says, “We have deputed a separate team that takes care of social distancing norms, hygiene and sanitisation process. Though people have become more aware, we have a team that ensures that social distancing norms are being followed. No one is given entry without temperature check, thermal screening, gloves and masks.”
Jubin Nautiyal, who has shot three music videos in the pandemic, recently shot his another one in Udaipur
‘Followed all safety precautions while shooting in Udaipur’
Jubin Nautiyal, who has shot three music videos in the pandemic, recently shot his another one in Udaipur. “A few years ago, when I came to Udaipur for a musical concert, I loved the city’ vibes. With the authenticity of Indian culture found here and the romantic nature of the songs, I felt there is no better place. It justified the emotions and the intensity of my music,” he says.
With safety measures in place, Jubin spent six days shooting in Udaipur and dunes of Khimsar in Nagaur. Along with actress Sanjeeda Sheikh, Jubin shot across the narrow streets of Udaipur. He adds, “Masks, gloves and sanitisers are the new normal in the COVID era. So, we ensured that there was no lapse in terms of the safety guidelines. I was happy to see that people have become quite conscious and aware. Everybody maintained social-distancing, wore masks and used sanitisers.”
Sanjeeda adds, “It was exciting to be on the set after such a long time. Precautions were taken on the set, and we wore masks and gloves throughout. I kept sanitising my hands, just to be on the safer side.”
Sayani Datta and Gurmeet Choudhary shooting in Jaipur
‘Maintained social distancing on set’
After nearly five months, Gurmeet Choudhary had recently resumed shooting for his upcoming horror film in Jaipur. “All the necessary precautions are being taken to make sure everything goes smoothly during the shoot. Our set is located right beside our hotel, so the commute is short with no contact with the outside world. The entire shooting floor has been divided among different teams to maintain social distancing. Each team member has been assigned a colour-coded card, where each colour indicates the amount of access to the shooting floor to avoid any sort of crowding on set. Makeup and costume departments are wearing the full PPE set while the rest of the crew have mandatory face masks, face shields and gloves on,” says the actor.
Manish Goplani shot for a music album in Jaipur
‘Sat inside a sanitised car during the shoot’
Manish Goplani, who is currently in his home town Jaipur, shot for a music video recently. The Thapki Pyaar Ki actor enjoyed getting back to work after almost three months due to the lockdown. All decked up in protective gears like masks and gloves, the actor shot for the video in and around Jaipur and wrapped up the shoot in two days. Talking about the precautions they took during the shoot, he says, “Although there were hardly 15 people on the set, they all maintained social distancing norms throughout the shoot. It was only when we were shooting on camera that we removed our masks. When we were not shooting, I would sit inside a sanitised car, as it was an outdoor shoot. Also it was just a two-day long shoot, so I used to go to the shooting location in the morning and return home by late evening.”
SOPs for shooting in Rajasthan
1. Washing and sanitising hands as mandatory on entry, exit and during the shoot
2. The number of people should not exceed 50 on the set and maintain social distancing
3. Casting will be conducted online and the respected teams can follow one of the two options, where the candidate can either tape or send their audition or through video calls
4. Each crew member to be provided with masks, gloves and sanitisers
5. Any pregnant woman will not be allowed on the sets
6. Every set will have three types of sanitisers available - hand sanitiser, surface sanitiser and space sanitiser
7. Every set will have dedicated COVID-19 helpdesk, with at least one trained member to keep a check on all the necessary aspects
8. Everyone on the set the will have to submit a consent form about fitness and health declaration
9. Actors and crew members will have to adhere to filming protocols, fiction and non-fiction with proper zoning, scheduling of the shifts, social distancing
10. The production house will have to take charge of assigning designated people to open doors, to ensure used masks are disposed of properly and not left unattended, food items are handled in the proper manner