Indian cine associations to halt all productions from March 19 due to coronavirus

The shooting of films, TV serials, ad-commercials and digital shows would stop from this week in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

The decision to shut down shootings from March 19 to 31 was taken at a meeting held in Mumbai on Sunday, which was attended by various associations.

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Many associations like IMPPA, FWICE, IFTDA, IFTPC met in the wake of initiatives taken by central as well as state governments to combat the outbreak of the highly contagious disease sweeping the globe.

Present for the meeting on behalf of their respective associations were Ashoke Pandit (filmmaker, President IFTDA), JD Majethia (TV producer and Vice-President, IFTPC), TP Agarwal (President, IMPPA), Ashok Dubey (General Secretary, FWICE), Sangram Shirke (President, WIFPA), producers Tinu Verma, Pradip Singh as well as other executives of the guilds.
All the producers have been granted three days to ask their units shooting anywhere in India or world to come back.

Majethia said, “In the interest of the country, society and film workers, all the associations on Indian film industry have taken the decision to shut shootings of films, TV serials and web shows across India from March 19 to 31, 2020."

Pandit said: "Coronavirus pandemic has spread across the world and we have taken the decision to shut all shoots after a long meeting with all associations. All the associations and industries across India – North, South or any other regional – are with us in this decision."

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Pandit further added that they have given a three-day period for all producers so that they can ask their units working anywhere in India or outside the country to come back. It will also give some time for broadcasters to think about their programming during the shoot shut down. The film industry is extremely serious about combating COVID-19. During the shutdown, cleaning and sanitation will be implemented at the sets.”

General Secretary of FWICE, Ashok Dubey, who represent 25 lakh workers and technicians who work on daily wages, said: "We agree with the decision taken by the producers’ body and we will be in compliance with the decision taken on 31st March too. We had brought out a circulation on 5th March itself regarding the cleanliness and sanitation at the shooting locations. We have been visiting the sets to see whether these things have been implemented or not."

On Saturday, actor Shahid Kapoor announced that the team of his upcoming film "Jersey" has decided to suspend the shoot of the film to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Yash Raj Films also delayed the release of Dibakar Banerjee-directed "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar".

Akshay Kumar-starrer "Sooryavanshi" has been pushed indefinitely and Tillotama Shome's film "Sir" has been postponed.

The release of Hollywood movies "A Quiet Place 2", "Mulan" and new James Bond film "No Time to Die" has also been delayed.

However, makers of "Angrezi Medium", starring Irrfan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Radhika Madan and Deepak Dobriyal, went ahead with the scheduled release of the film on Friday.

They announced to release the film on a later date in Delhi, Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir, where cinema halls are under lockdown till March 31.

Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu and parts of Maharashtra have also called for a shutdown on theatres till the month end, to contain the virus that has been declared a pandemic by the WHO.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 107 on Sunday, with 12 fresh cases in Maharashtra, the Union Health Ministry said.

The virus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December, has infected more than 150,000 people worldwide and killed over 5,600.

(With inputs from PTI)