Tom Cruise’s Outburst Is An Ear-Opener For All Film Shootings In Bollywood

I have  never heard  Tom Cruise being so  angry before.And I think he’s right in his anger.When  crew members of  Mission Impossible  broke  Covid rules he slammed  them, threatening to  sack them.

  The tape has Tom Cruise  shouting, “We are the gold standard.They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. Because they believe in us and what we’re doing. I’m on the phone with every fking studio at night, insurance companies, producers and they’re looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherfks. I don’t ever want to see it again. Ever!You can tell it to the people who are losing their fking homes because our industry is shut down. It’s not going to put food on their table or pay for their college education. That’s what I sleep with every night – the future of this fking industry! So I’m sorry, I am beyond your apologies. I have told you, and now I want it, and if you don’t do it, you’re out. We are not shutting this f**king movie down! Is it understood? If I see it again, you’re fking gone.Am I clear? Do you understand what I want? Do you understand the responsibility that I have? Because I will deal with your reason, and if you can’t be reasonable and I can’t deal with your logic, you’re fired.That’s it. That is it. I trust you guys to be here.”

 I think this  is not superstarry tantrum, as  a lot of trolls are  suggesting. It is  a warning from Cruise to  film crews across the world who are  back to shooting in  spite  of  the  pandemic threat.

A  major Pan-India superstar shooting  for his action film confides, “I will be very honest with  you. It is impossible to follow the Covid guidelines while  shooting. The  choice is between  shooting and staying at home.Once you are there you just have to do what is  required  on camera.”

In India   several film and television  crews are  shooting round the clock. How  safe is the environment? I’m afraid  Covid rules are being blissfully broken at these shootings.A leading star , much in the news for putting his foot in the mouth confides,  “Between you and me, I really don’t feel it’s safe  to shoot. We’re  shooting a song sequence and  there are big crowds on camera, obviously without masks.I’ve a kid to go home to, and I  am wondering if I should just shift out of home until shooting is over.”

 The  leading lady  of a very popular television soap  tells me, “Every day we are together shooting  till  very late  in the evening. As  the day progresses  we forget about  Covid and become one family.”

Fine. Filming units may forget Covid. But does Covid forget them?  We are  living with the danger  of the virus constantly. The risk factor cannot be undermined. Just because the authorities may  not be looking constantly,  it doesn’t mean rules  should be broken.