MUMBAI: The Coronavirus pandemic has affected the entire world. Like many other industries, our TV industry also got hit. It started shooting in the last week of June. The show makers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the safety of cast and crew, however, still many members tested positive for coronavirus. 

Some of the actors who tested positive on the sets of TV shows include Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2’s Parth Samthaan, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai's Sachin Tyagi, Kundali Bhagya's Sanjay Gagnani, and Mere Dad Ki Dulhan's Shweta Tiwari to name a few. So, let’s take a look at how the industry is dealing with this crisis. 

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The television industry suffered huge losses when things came to a halt for three months during the lockdown. However, there have been more hurdles to cross since they started shooting for shows in June. So far, 14 shows have been affected, with one or more members testing positive for COVID-2019. The moment a case is detected, work stops, amounting to losses. Apart from that, there are other mounting expenses. Speaking about the same, Mere Dad Ki Dulhan producer Deeya Singh said to a leading daily, “There are expenses for a 24-hour doctor, ambulance and to get tests done for each member when someone tests positive. Every time it’s cumbersome, but the industry has to continue functioning. We have to move on, because there is so much at stake.” 

It is a fact that a lot of people are associated with a show so it must go on and makers have to come up with a solution. For example, if an actor tests positive for Coronavirus, they are required to change the track. Take the case of Parth Samthaan, the lead of Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2. The actor was detected with the virus on July 12 and resumed work on August 5. Meanwhile, the writers sent his character, Anurag Basu, off for some official work abroad. 

In addition, the makers are making sure to take care of bank of episodes. Production houses that have a bank of episodes are managing to tide over the difficult times. “Today, almost every producer will have seven-eight episodes in the bank as opposed to just a couple earlier. It enables us to deal with any contingency. A successful television writer has to be adept at dealing with crisis and tweak the story in a way that it accommodates an actor’s absence and keeps the audience hooked at the same time,” writer-producer Ved Raj told the daily. 

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CREDITS: TIMES OF INDIA