New norms for film shoots in two days

BENGALURU: A day after a fight master was electrocuted during the shoot of a film, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that the government will issue detailed guidelines for film shooting in two days.The death of the fight master, Vivek (35), is blamed on the negligence of the film crew. The incident occurred at a remote village near Bidadi in Ramanagara district.

Bommai, who was attending a police department function, said that many such incidents are being reported as crew members of some of the film units have not followed the norms. “We will come up with detailed safety guidelines for cinema shooting and will issue an order in two days. The present norms are strict, but detailed guidelines are needed with more safety measures. At the same time, we should also ensure hassle-free shooting for the film industry,” he said.  

Film fraternity members too said there is a need for stricter measures and stringent laws to punish those violating norms. An associate director, requesting anonymity, said that sometimes, they conduct shoots without permission and overlook some safety features due to lack of time, and this should not happen.

Well-known stunt master Thriller Manju told The New Indian Express that they usually take precautionary measures and obtain permission from the concerned authorities before shooting, especially stunts. They have to take permission from the Department of Information as well as concerned DCs if the shooting is being done at public places. But the law is grey with shoots on a private piece of  private land.

Manju said the local police should be informed. “Whenever we do outdoor shooting, a large number of people gather. If there is breaking glass or explosion involved, there should be a minimum gap from the public. The police will help keep people at a distance,’’ he added.

Case of negligence, say cops

All the crew members, including lead actor Ajay Rao, are being questioned over the incident and the statement of another stunt master Ranjith B L, who was injured in the mishap, will be recorded on Wednesday. He is currently recuperating in a private hospital. It is a clear case of negligence as everyone at the spot knew that there was a high-tension wire passing above where the shooting was taking place, and yet did not take any safety measures nor permission, police said