How production houses are gearing up for threat posed by third wave of COVID

After witnessing the first and the deadly second COVID wave, several producers shooting for TV shows and web series say they are now prepared for the third wave. With a sudden spike in cases, production houses have also started to prepare for plan B if the Maharashtra government imposes lockdown in the state.

Producers of multiple TV shows and web series say they are worried about the massive surge in COVID cases as some of the actors have also tested positive in the last two weeks. However, they are optimistic that the third wave won't impact the shoots as they are well prepared for any uncertainty.

Siddharth Anand Kumar, Vice President - Films & Events at Saregama India, shared that at Yoodlee, they are well-equipped to battle the third wave, adding that they are ready for any future breakouts of the virus due to their no-frills approach when it comes to implementing strict covid safety protocols. "We haven't allowed the pandemic to hamper our zeal and ability to deliver Entertainment to the audiences at the mode and screen of their convenience. Ever since the pandemic hit, we have made and successfully released six films," shared Kumar.

Kumar feels that the industry was entirely surprised during the first wave but was later prepared for any such uncertainty posed by the virus. He added, "The second wave further set us back with such intensity. As the world gradually learns more about the virus's behavior, we are able to prepare better and not let it handicap our operations. I think the challenge now for the production houses is to adapt to the constantly evolving content consumption patterns of the audience after they were exposed to myriad types of content cutting across languages and borders. The pre-Covid era formula for making content will not work anymore. While we are prepared for the third wave, it remains to be seen whether the industry can serve some palatable content for the rapidly changing taste buds of the audience."

Kumar further noted, "Entertainment must not and should not stop as even in the darkest of times, people have always sought entertainment as a refuge. Until we reach the endemic, the industry must continue to embrace the safety protocols and deliver entertainment," said Kumar.

During the second wave in April 2021, all the producers moved to different locations like Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Gujarat, Punjab, etc., for shooting TV shows and web series after the state government of Maharashtra imposed a lockdown due to a sudden rise in COVID infections. The decision was taken to ensure that viewers enjoy their prime-time shows and web series without any disruption.

Speaking about the shifting sets to different locations, Kumar shared that this is conjecture as the Maharashtra government hasn't imposed any new restrictions. If restrictions are imposed, scouting for new locations will also depend on how long they have been imposed. "It's a challenging time, but we have survived it twice and together will be able to survive this as well, said JD Majethia, Chairman- TV & Web wing, IFTPC, and the producer of Sab TV show Wagle Ki Duniya. Majethia feels that everyone has to be ready with Plan B if something goes wrong.

"If COVID cases continue to rise, the government might impose a lockdown of 7 days to 15 days. In that scenario, people will lookout. Fortunately, it's not as dangerous this time as it was in the last two waves. We are preparing and will look at various plans as we progress," said Majethia.

Currently, COVID cases are rising in every state. However, Maharashtra is witnessing the highest number of cases every day. Mumbai saw 15,166 new infections in 24 hours on January 5. As per the reports, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said they would impose lockdown in the city if daily COVID-19 cases cross the 20,000-mark.

In the last week, many TV actors, producers, and Bollywood actors had tested positive for the virus. Some popular names include Ekta Kapoor, Drashti Dhami, Nakuul Mehta, John Abraham, Nora Fatehi, and Delnaaz Irani among others. Last year, every unit had COVID cases, which might continue this year too with may actors testing positive for the virus. In 2021, ten members, including the lead actors of 'Wagle Ki Duniya' team tested positive for Covid, following which the shoot was stopped.

Speaking about the challenges of keeping a bank of episodes, Majethia said that in 30 days, they are already shooting for 26 episodes, which is a struggle in itself. However, they are still managing to create a bank to avoid disruption.

Sharing similar thoughts, Ranjit Thakur, Co-founder of Frames Production, shared that they are creating a bank of episodes for fiction shows, and if lockdown happens, they are ready with a backup plan. "Everyone is well prepared this time. We follow all the necessary measures and follow COVID protocols on the sets. However, I am hopeful that everything will be under control soon." Thakur was shooting in Daman during the second wave for his dance reality show - Super Dancer Chapter-4.

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), President BN Tiwari, shared, "The work has to continue, and shoots will continue in Maharashtra or outside Maharashtra with  COVID-19's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Additionally, everyone, including cast and crew, works on the sets are fully vaccinated." He further added that 70% of shoots are likely to continue even if lockdown happens. "Some shoots are still happening outside Maharashtra, and that will continue. Everything on sets is normal for now, but we have to work carefully to avoid any setback."