Kush
Shah
and
three
more
test
positive
on
Taarak
Mehta
sets,
Anupamaa
actor
Sudhanshu
Pandey
to
shoot
from
home
after
getting
COVID-19,
Aniruddh
Dave
shooting
in
Bhopal
for
web
series
critical,
actor-anchor
Shripradha
dies
due
to
COVID
complications,
Marathi
actor
Abhilasha
Patil
dies
due
to
COVID
complications,
The
first
three
days
were
horrible,
says
Anupamaa
actor
Tassnim
Sheikh,
who
tested
positive
for
COVID-19-
These
are
a
few
of
the
myriad
current
headlines
that
have
come
as
a
shock
to
the
actor
fraternity.
Several
Bollywood
actors-
Akshay
Kumar,
Govinda,
Alia
Bhatt,
Katrina
Kaif,
Vicky
Kaushal,
Bhumi
Pednekar,
Aamir
Khan,
R
Madhavan,
Manoj
Bajpayee
and
Ranvir
Shorey
have
been
affected
by
COVID.
The
prime
example
of
the
kind
of
lapses
that
have
occurred
was
of
the
shoot
of
Major
Bickramjeet
Singh
who
unfortunately
expired.
He
and
two
other
actors,
who
travelled
from
the
airport,
lived
in
different
hotels
and
travelled
back
to
the
airport
separately
had
two
things
in
common.
They
shared
a
vanity
van
in
Lucknow.
And
brought
home
COVID
to
their
spouses
and
families.
Unfortunately,
one
of
them
paid
with
his
life.
This
is
just
one
of
the
many
casualties
to
COVID-19
we
have
faced
in
this
difficult
time.
Cine
and
Television
Actors'
Association
(CINTAA),
while
appreciating
the
efforts
of
the
Producers
and
production
houses
to
continue
work
beyond
the
boundaries
of
Maharashtra,
has
taken
a
serious
note
of
many
of
their
artist
members
succumbing
to
death
due
to
COVID
while
they
were
shooting
outside
Maharashtra
and
has
immediately
asked
for
all
health
and
safety
protocols
to
be
strictly
followed
and
a
copy
of
SOP
to
be
shared
with
them
by
their
members,
in
order
to
examine
any
negligence
that
would
have
a
severe
impact
on
whole
units.
CINTAA
has
also
asked
for
the
SOP
designed
as
per
new
strain
of
virus
which
might
show
negative
in
the
1st
RT-PCR,
and
thus,
it
means
isolating
cast
and
crew
before
and
after
shoot.
Also
asking
for
protocols
for
one-two
day
character
artistes,
CINTAA
has
also
expressed
that
there
is
a
need
to
make
sure
that
they
are
shooting
in
the
vicinity
of
medical
emergencies
or
have
made
arrangements
on
the
set,
and
that
actors
have
to
undergo
RT-PCR
tests
before
going
to
the
shoot
on
an
outdoor
location.
"It
is
wonderful
that
TV
shoots
are
shooting
in
a
bubble,
with
necessary
precautions,
but
we
are
worried
that
a
secure
bio
bubble
of
the
IPL
has
been
breached,
it
will
not
take
long
for
this
disaster
to
strike
TV
shoots.
There
is
traffic
of
actors
travelling
to
and
from
shoots,
using
flights
and
airports
and
the
danger
of
infection
is
tenfold," stated
the
CINTAA
spokesperson.
CINTAA
also
expressed
the
need
to
be
in
the
know
if
all
producers
have
adequately
covered
the
health
and
life
of
actors
and
technicians.
"With
medical
costs
sky
rocketing,
it
is
only
prudent
that
expenses
are
completely
covered
with
no
burden
to
our
members," averred
CINTAA
Spokesperson
strongly
urging
that
the
30
days
payment
is
followed
in
the
current
situation
till
the
pandemic
is
over
to
ease
the
financial
position,
CINTAA
expressed
displeasure
on
payment
arrears
since
years
to
as
low
as
Rs.
3000
even
by
the
reputed
houses.
Citing
that
actors
who
are
not
comfortable
in
shooting
during
the
current
phase
of
pandemic
are
being
replaced
overnight
without
any
discussions
further,
CINTAA
insisted
that
they
be
compensated.
"Most
of
the
producers
are
saying
that
cine
workers
are
frontline
workers,
we
would
like
to
point
out
that
if
any
category
that
actually
comes
in
the
shape
of
frontline
workers
are
the
actors,
who
have
to
perform
their
scenes
without
masks.
Who
have
to
come
in
close
contact
with
the
make-up
artists,
stylists
and
so
on.
So,
they
are
most
prone
and
susceptible
to
COVID
infections.
Hence,
we
are
appealing
to
all
the
stake
holders
that
we
want
to
know
on
whom
does
the
moral
responsibility
lie:
If
the
actor
contracts
COVID
who
is
going
to
take
care
of
the
entire
hospital/medical
expenses,
the
insurance,
injury
cover,
death
cover,
etc.
Is
the
broadcaster
taking
the
onus,
studio
taking
the
onus,
or
the
producer
association
or
individual
producer
is
taking
the
onus,
that
is
what
we
wish
to
know,"
questioned
CINTAA.
Urging
the
need
to
work
in
a
healthy
eco-system,
CINTAA
understands
the
problem
of
the
stakeholders
and
the
economics
also,
but
would
like
the
Association
to
be
consulted
because
'this
current
wave
of
pandemic
which
is
far
more
dangerous
than
the
first
wave
and
we
are
now
most
probably
entering
the
3rd
wave
of
COVID
19
crisis.
The
pandemic
has
compelled
us
to
distance
ourselves
socially
but
we
stand
united
in
our
combat
against
the
pandemic
and
we
stay
optimistic
that
our
collective
show
of
strength
will
bring
in
normalcy
soon'.
The
Executive
Committee
of
CINTAA
also
applauded
Yashraj
Films'
endeavour
to
request
the
Honourable
Maharashtra
CM
Shri
Uddhav
Thackeray
for
COVID-19
vaccination
of
30,000
registered
workers
of
FWICE
Mumbai,
and
pointed
out
that
Actors,
whether
or
not
members
of
CINTAA,
should
be
included
in
the
drive,
along
with
the
30000
registered
workers.
Reacting
on
the
news
of
Salman
Khan
to
donate
Rs
1,500
to
25,000
film
industry
workers
amid
the
second
wave
of
COVID-19,
CINTAA
lauded
the
move,
but
expressed
concern
and
helplessness
on
no
CINTAA
member
actually
being
a
beneficiary.
This
CINTAA
stance
of
coming
in
the
open
for
its
members
marks
a
welcome
change
for
the
one-two
day
actors
whose
plight
is
worse
than
the
film
workers
during
this
pandemic.
If
they
are
at
home
they
will
die
of
poverty
and
hunger
and
if
they
are
at
work
without
vaccination
and
adequate
protection
or
instance,
they
will
expose
themselves
to
death
due
to
pandemic.
Sadly,
actors
have
nowhere
been
included
in
the
various
charities
being
offered,
in
spite
of
maximum
casualties
to
this
fraternity
being
at
maximum
risk
at
all
levels
including
their
unsure
livelihood.
This
move
by
CINTAA
is
thus
of
utmost
importance.