Balki Speaks On How To Shoot Post-Lockdown

With the Coronavirus bringing all  shooting in Mumbai to a halt, Akshay Kumar and  his Padman director S Balki , took the initiative to break the  deadlock by shooting a Corona-preventive  ad film on  May  26.

  Shedding light on the experience of stepping out to shoot after two  months Balki says,  “Akshay and I shot an ad for the health ministry about the post-lockdown responsibilities of each one of us. We need to get back to work but ensure our safety and those of others.”

  The ad  shows how  shooting can be resumed  in the  post-lockdown scenario,

Says Balki, “At our shoot we did  what other  filmmakers will do when they  get back to  shooting, like getting back to work with social distancing,sanitised outdoor set, disinfectant screen, masks… the works.”

   Balki says   it took  him and Akshay no time  to get  used to the  new  normal. “We got used to it in a few minutes. Minimal  20-people crew.Very strict protocol…and we found we can do it quite easily.”

   The Paa  director says  the  producer was a big help in economizing on the time factor.  “Anil Naidu the producer showed us how we can do the same shoot with far fewer people with maximum safety ensured.”

  The ad, according to  Balki, was essential  on two  levels. “We needed to do this as this as  the  message  was very  important. Also, first-hand now we know what we need to do when  we have to shoot in the post lockdown era. Of course we had all the permissions of police, etc.”