CM Uddhav Thackeray has been handling the Coronavirus outbreak crisis really well and has made sure to increase the number of tests done in the state. While there have been a few leniencies applied to the lockdown, the Indian Motion Pictures' Production Association (IMPPA) wrote to the CM to let workers join the sets only after they have been tested negative for COVID-19. Writing a letter to the Chief Minister of Maharashta, the association thanked the CM for amending the guidelines according to their suggestion.

The letter reads, “Dear Sir,

Sub: Grateful Thanks for amending impractical guidelines for starting shooting

We are indeed very grateful and indebted to your kind self for kindly considering and implementing the suggestions made by us in our email letter dated 2-6-2020 for relaxation in the guidelines prescribed for starting of shooting in Maharashtra. We are indeed highly obliged that you have considered our suggestion’s worthy of incorporation and have advised the authorities to issue fresh GR dated 23-6-2020   in which the demands made by us have been majorly incorporated like the mandatory requirement of a doctor and a nurse to be available on the set throughout the shooting which was  impossible to comply with in view of the serious shortage of doctors and ambulances in the city of Bombay where cases of Corona virus are  rising in thousands and all these medical professionals were required to treat the patients and not wait on set watching if anybody falls ill.

As suggested by us you have very kindly amended the guideline regarding provision of hotel accommodation to all unit members and have stated that this is only recommendatory and shall not be mandatory as proposed.

You have kindly also accepted our demand that it is not possible to cast real family members as family members in the shows/films because every person is not an actor as acting is a specialized profession and therefore we appreciate the fact that you have made this guideline also recommended only.

The fact that the entire custody and possession of the set has been left in the hands of the Producer without any external interference or inspector to ensure safety and security of all unit members is another step which is very welcome as when the producer is himself going to bear all the risk if anything untoward happens he will definitely ensure that there are no lapses of any nature in the safety and precaution to ensure safety and health of all the unit members.

We also recommend to your kindself that before starting work all unit members wanting to work in the shooting should submit negative Covid reports  because when so many unit members are involved in the shooting it is necessary to ensure that the people working should not be Covid positive and hence the report should be insisted upon.

We are obliged to you for having accepted our request and doing the needful and would request you to also declare that these are only contingency measures which have been made without taking into account the shows/ films waiting to be launched because if all the producer, artists, technicians and workers have to survive  Film and TV production has to go beyond what was held up and new work has to start because 24-hour entertainment needs more and more content and we need to fulfil this requirement of entertainment with new material being produced for which these guidelines after removal of Lock down should not apply and every producer should be permitted to shoot as per his desire after obtaining the required permissions and present Guidelines to be limited to Lock down period.

We are sure your kindself will kindly do the needful in the matter and oblige.

For Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association

T.P. Aggarwal

President

CC to

1. Mr. Anil Deshmukh (Home Minister of Maharashtra)
2. Mr. Amit Deshmukh (Minister of Cultural Affairs)”

Also Read: IMPPA writes to CM Uddhav Thackeray to modify shooting guidelines as they find it impractical