Some of the TV shows and characters are gearing up to entertain their viewers once again. &TV is all set to start shooting for of its shows -- Ek Mahanayak – Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram, Gudiya Humari Sabhi Pe Bhari, Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein and Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain -- in strict adherence to the guidelines laid by the Maharashtra government. The last few months have been quite uncertain for everyone due to the coronavirus enforced lockdown. Everybody was confined to their homes, engaged in household work, bonding with their loved ones, developing new skills and rediscovering their lost passion.
But one thing that stood in good stead was catching up on their favourite television shows and characters. Speaking of which, here’s what &TV artists have to share about their lockdown time, to now gearing up to resume the shoot.
Aasif Sheikh, the Vibhuti Narayan of &TV’s Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai shares, “I took this time to bond with my family, rekindle my lost passion for reading and writing, and experiment with food. I was also shifting to a new house, which was quite a daunting task. This lockdown time has taught me to value time and freedom more than ever. On the work front, I have been longing to get back into my character of Vibhuti Narayan and entertain my viewers. A lot of fans had been telling me how much they love our show and have been binge-watching it. I am eager to go back to my earlier routine. We have been briefed thoroughly by the production team on the shooting guidelines and precautions. They are leaving no stone unturned to ensure everyone adheres to social distancing norms, wears masks when not on camera, alongside maintaining high-standards of sanitation on-sets.”
Shubhangi Atre, the Angoori Bhabhi of &TV’s Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai shares, “It was an unexpectedly long break which allowed me to pursue my passion for dance along with frequent meditation sessions. I spent a lot of time with my daughter, engaging her in arts and crafts along with baking and cooking. However, there was always this question in the back of my mind on how soon can we resume work? I am happy now that we are gearing to resume shoots for the show with the utmost safety and precautions. I am eager to hear the words Lights, Camera, and Action after a long time. We all have been briefed on the guidelines, and we will ensure we strictly adhere to it at all times. I am quite excited and eagerly looking forward to entertaining my audience with fresh episodes of Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai.”
Rohitashv Gour, who plays Manmohan Tiwari in &TV’s Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai, adds, “I spent this time engaging in household work, playing board games and staying in touch with my family, friends and fans through live interactions and video calls. I have been working for many years, and this sudden pause did make me miss shooting big time. I am quite happy to resume shooting. The team has briefed us on the guidelines laid by the government to ensure everyone is safe and adheres to it at all times. This time has taught me that I am not just responsible for my health and safety but also that of others around me, hence it is critical to follow the safety and precautions strictly.”
Yogesh Tripathi, Daroga Happu Singh from &TV’s Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, shares, “I missed my character of Doroga Happu Singh quite a lot, along with all my cast and crew members. I am looking forward to resuming shooting soon. I spent a lot of time with my child teaching him new things alongside assisting my wife in cooking and even learning a few recipes as well. This lockdown gave me time to introspect and discover a lot of things that I had been contemplating to do for quite some time. I am now eagerly looking forward to entertaining my viewers all over again. The Team has worked out a detailed sanitation plan to ensure we all are safe and adhere to the safety norms at all times during the shoot.”
Kamna Pathak, Dabang Rajesh from &TV’s Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, shares, “I spent this lockdown time practising singing and cooking delicious meals every day. Singing and cooking are quite therapeutic, and I enjoyed sharing my recipes with the fans. Now I am back to what I love the most, which is, acting. I missed every bit of being on the sets and rehearsing my lines. The production team is ensuring that there is strict adherence to the guidelines laid by the government and has already briefed us in detail on how the new norms will be implemented. We all are quite excited about getting back and looking forward to restarting from where we left.”
Gracy Singh from &TV’s Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein shares, “It is indeed a tough time as we were fighting the common enemy with all our might. This lockdown time has given me time to introspect and pursue other activities such as dance, meditation and yoga. Shoots now are subjected to the revised guidelines, and I am looking forward to being back on the sets and start rolling. We all have been given a copy of revised guidelines, and we understand that following these are in everyone’s best interest. We all need to align ourselves to this new normal and come back with full enthusiasm and vigour.”
Sneha Wagh, Anjani of &TV’s Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram, shares, “The lockdown period helped me focus on self-love and relaxation. I have spent a good amount of time doing Mandala art, and it has brought a lot of positivity in me. All of my family members are working; this was a good time for us to reunite and spend quality time with each other. I am eager to get back to my normal routine and excited to meet the entire cast after such a long gap. Of course, going forward, we will have to take a lot of precautions on set, but the show must go on.”
Sarika Bahroliya of Gudiya Humari Sabhi Pe Bhari shares, “I am eagerly looking forward to getting back to the shooting routine with these new set guidelines. I have thoroughly sanitised and kept my shoot bag ready and eager to hear the words, ‘lights, camera, action’ again. I’m glad that I got time to learn quick recipes during the lockdown, which is now helping me to cook and carry my tiffin. Also, wearing a mask has become a routine for me, and I don’t step out without it. We all have been briefed on the strict safety guidelines by the production team. Everyone has been asked to wear masks, sanitise their hands, and maintain social distancing, at all times. We have some exciting episodes in the pipeline, and I am eagerly looking forward for it to go on air.”