Film city shuts down after Aditya Thackeray’s order

Taking the increasing threat of COVID-19 pandemic seriously, Tourism and Environment Minister of Maharashtra Aditya Thackeray spoke to JD Majethia, Chairman of IFTPC’s TV division. Thackeray on a phone call with Majethia gave the orders to shut down shootings of film, TV and web at the earliest. Majethia assured Thackeray of having told all the producers to shut down shootings. The BMC Commissioner has also sent a notice to immediately stop the shootings.

After the discussion with Thackeray FWICE and Film Studio & Allied Workers Union actively started doing reality checks to see whether shootings were happening on the sets of any films, TV and reality shows. Banners to immediately stop shooting were put up. The otherwise buzzing Film City was empty and quiet.

Subhash Shantaram Borkar, Joint MD of Film City said that after the orders from BMC commissioner, shootings in film city were called off, including Kapil Sharma’s reality show and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s latest film.

The TV shoots have also been called off but the daily wage workers of the industry like junior artists, sound recordist, light men, spot boy are tensed about earning their living. FWICE has got a solution to this problem.

General Secretary of FWICE, Ashok Dubey told that, “We have told the producers that although the shoots have been called off, payments should be made to those working on daily wages as well as on freelance basis. And those working on salary basis will work from home and should be given their full salaries”.

After the BMC’s notice, not only the film city but the producers are also quiet. Because most of the daily soaps and reality show shoots have stopped but the producers don’t have many episodes in bank. So, repeat telecast of most of the serials will be shown on TV.