Days after a Bombay High Court ruling, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday allowed actors and crew members above the age of 65 to resume film and television serial shootings. Culture Minister Amit Deshmukh said the permission has been granted after the HC quashed government orders that barred artistes and crew members above 65 to take part in film and TV shootings in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.
On August 7, the High Court set aside two Government Resolutions (GRs) that prohibited cast and crew above the age of 65 years, seen as vulnerable to contracting coronavirus, from going on the sets of film and television programmes.
The GRs, issued on May 30 and June 23, had contended that the move was a precautionary measure to check the spread of the pandemic.
Deshmukh said following the HC order, actors and crew above 65 are allowed to resume shoots by adhering to safety protocols regarding COVID-19. With this decision, Deshmukh hoped senior actors and crew members in film, television and OTT segments will be encouraged to resume their profession.
The HC had quashed the provisions of the two circulars issued by the government that barred TV and film artistes above 65 from resuming shootings and related work during the coronavirus lockdown, terming them "discriminatory'.
It had observed that restriction breached the fundamental rights of the artistes to practice their trade and earn a livelihood with dignity.
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