FWICE's Ashoke Pandit clarifies on Akshay Kumar's mid-lockdown shoot: 'no resumption yet'

While celebrities have been shooting from home since the beginning of the lockdown, hosting digital concerts, fundraisers and even short films, Akshay Kumar became the first to shoot outdoors on Monday. The actor’s shoot with his Pad Man director for a informational advertisement became a talking point, while also giving a glimpse into how shootings could take place in the post-COVID-19 era. However, apart from some who disapproved of the shoot, it also seemed there was a misunderstanding over the commencement of film shootings.

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Federeation of Western India Cine Emplyees (FWICE ) Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit clarified that it was not the case and posted a video to clear the air. 

“I’d like to clarify that shooting has not started. Shooting cannot resume till the time, the government guidelines come up and till the time all the film associations don’t come together and create a SOP (Standing Operating Procedure)," Pandit said.

He added, "All this is currently being processed. I’d like to clarify that it is a small health-related promotional film for sanitisation, drinking water. So don’t be under a misunderstanding."

"Whenever film shoots can resume, it’d be announced by the film associations, and this will happen systematically. And even this shooting was done with proper guidelines and precautions,” he said in a video.

Watch the video here:

FWICE President BN Tiwari also clarified that a letter from the water department and the permission from the police commissioner was in place for the shoot. The association had also received a letter from the production manager of the campaign and they shot for 2 hours, he revealed.

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The producer of the campaign had confirmed that all precautions were taken, in an exclusive interview with Republic TV. 

"Akshay came in dressed. He drove himself. His makeup was done at home," Anil Naidu  was quoted as saying. 

He added, "There were 20 people in total. We had a disinfectant tunnel, everyone wore a mask, there was a doctor on set to check temperatures, there was enough social distancing between people, everything was being sanitised every now and then."

Earlier, when the pictures had surfaced, some netizens had felt that he should’ve shot from home, and not venture out. Writer-director Vinta Nanda also was of the same opinion. 

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