IMPPA writes to CM Thackeray on amended shooting guidelines, makes another suggestion

After a break of around three months, work related to films has begun. Though Akshay Kumar became the first to shoot for a public information advertisement, the shooting is yet to begin on a full-fledged level. While some of the artistes have started dubbing, going back to their offices, and meeting with their collaborators, one is yet to see the stars stepping out to go to the sets.

READ: Film Association Unhappy Over 'impractical' Guidelines On Shooting, Write To CM Thackeray

The reason could be the fact that the guidelines issued by the Maharashtra government had not been fully agreed by the film associations. The Indian Motion Picture Producers Asociation (IMPPA) had termed some of the guidelines as ‘impractical’ earlier, and suggested changes. In the latest development, the government has agreed to incorporate the changes and the IMPPA has conveyed their thanks to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.  

One of the guidelines was the mandatory presence of doctors and nurses on the sets, which the association felt was ‘impossible’ to implement amid the current situation of COVID-19 in Mumbai. They had also expressed disagreement on the guidelines on arranging hotel accommodation for the crew and on casting family members. Now, the new guidelines have termed it ‘recommendatory’ only and not ‘mandatory,’ the letter claimed. 

READ: FWICE's Ashok Dubey Opens Up About Shoot Resumption, Claims Supervisors Must Be Deployed

They also praised the recommendation that the producer will hold all responsibility as far as the possession and custody of the sets were concerned as the association felt this would make the producer take all the required steps to ensure the health and safety of the crew.

The association also suggested that the crew members submit reports of being COVID-19 negative.

In the letter, they also suggested that the government to declare that these were only ‘contingency measures’ and that the producers be allowed to shoot as per their 'desire', taking all the permissions and following the guidelines, since they claimed that a lot of content was held up due to the lockdown and that industry needed to fill the requirements of the 24-hour entertainment.’ 

The association thanked the CM for advising the authorities to issue a fresh GR.

Here’s the letter  

Earlier, another Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE) had similarly written to the CM, suggesting the difficulty in maintaining some of the guidelines.    

READ: Resumption Of Film Shooting: FWICE Writes To CM Thackeray, Lists Precautionary Guidelines

READ: Abhinav Kashyap Should've Approached FWICE, Says General Secretary Of The Film Association