Coordinate with police on shooting schedules in Mumbai: Uddhav tells film producers

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asked film and television producers, who demanded an extension of the duration of shootings beyond the 4 pm deadline, to coordinate with the police about the place and timing of their shooting schedules in and around Mumbai.

Addressing members of the Film Producers Guild virtually, the CM told them to ensure that regular COVID-19 detection tests are conducted, guidelines followed, and vaccination of cinema artists and workers is expedited.

Filmmakers Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra, Ritesh Sidhwani, Nagraj Manjule, Subodh Bhave, Ravi Jadhav among others participated in the meeting, also attended by Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale and members of the state COVID-19 task force.

The Guild sought an extension of the duration of shootings beyond 4 pm and assured that they would continue to follow the COVD-19 norms, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement.

The CM told them that Maharashtra is among the states where the number of new infections is not coming down.

Despite a bio bubble system for sports events, there is a spread of coronavirus, the release quoted the CM as saying.

Thackeray said the Maha Vikas Aghadi government is treading cautiously on relaxing the restrictions as the primary concern is the welfare and health of citizens.

"Mumbai Police will seek details of the shooting locations and timings. A nodal officer should be appointed to ensure all COVID-19 rules are followed," the CM said.

Maharashtra on Friday reported 7,761 new COVID-19 cases and 167 deaths which took the state's infection tally to 61,97,018 and the death toll to 1,26,727, as per the health department.