It’s a changed script for them...

Mona

After close to a hundred days as the telly stars get back to the sets, things are different. Limited staff, crew in PPE kits, constant temperature checks and lonely lunches, the usual camaraderie has gone missing in Covid times. TV stars share their experiences of being back in front of the cameras…

The show must go on

Considering the current circumstances, the show must go on with a lot of vigilance. When we resumed shooting, we were pretty excited and scared at the same time. However, the fear was allayed after witnessing the number of precautionary measures being taken. — Karan Jotwani aka Neel from Qurbaan Hua

High five

Dressing up like Preeta after almost 100 days is amazing and overwhelming. After seeing my co-actor, I just wanted to run and hug him in excitement, but we gave each other a ‘high five’ in the air because that’s the new way! — Shraddha Arya from Kundali Bhagya

Happy to shoot

Fans used to constantly ask me when they would see me back on screen. I’m extremely grateful for their support. There are very limited people on the sets. We begin the day by heading towards the sanitisation tunnel. Even as the shot ends, we wear masks and ensure social distancing. — Ishita Ganguly aka Draupadi in RadhaKrishn

Back to work

It feels great to face the camera after such a long time. The team has briefed us on the guidelines to ensure everyone is safe and we adhere to it at all times. — Sumedh Mudgalkar, lead actor in RadhaKrishn

Return mode

The makers have taken every step to ensure safety. They called us a week in advance and kept us in isolation. Then there are the sanitisation processes… everything has been looked after well. — Kinshuk Vaidya aka Arjun in RadhaKrishn

Being vigilant

My initial days of resuming shooting were a little stressful. As compared to pre-Covid times, the hygiene levels have gone up phenomenally. There is a dedicated housekeeping department, which cleans up and sanitises the sets as well as make-up rooms twice a day. The make-up and setting teams are wearing full PPE kits. Also, the script has been tweaked to factor in these changing times. While earlier you could shoot with multiple actors, now a scene cannot have more than five-six actors. Everyone is sitting in their individual rooms, with their own sanitising kits. – Harshad Arora aka Alok in Tera Kya Hoga Alia

New normal

It isn’t easy to work throughout the day in PPE kits, but I really appreciate everyone’s sincerity towards safety. All the artistes on the set follow safety norm. We have switched to digital mediums to read the script rather than using physical hard copies. — Anahita Bhooshan aka Ananya from Baalveer Returns

Doing our best

I was a little scared in the beginning but seeing the precautionary measures in place, felt a lot better. The fear is going to be at the back of one’s mind, but we have to fulfil our commitment too. Shoots at Klick Nixon have stopped due to a Covid case, so I asked my production guys to be more cautious about everything at our set. Personally, I am taking care of everything with regards to my safety; the rest is in God’s hands. — Vijayendra Kumeria aka Dev Parikh in Naagin 4

Taking no chances

Full precautions have been taken by Rajan Shahi’s team. Social distancing is maintained. Sanitisers are available. Regular temperature checks are being undertaken.

— Sudhanshu Pandey aka Vanraj in Anupamaa

Changed scenario

Earlier, the sentiment on the sets used to be warm and we ate together. Now everyone has their own rooms. One of the most difficult yet interesting things is that as the crew has a face cover, we have to rely on eye expressions for communication. I hope everything will be back to normal soon. — Alan Kapoor aka Angad in Pyarki Luka Chuppi

Planned operations

We shot some sequences in Goa before the lockdown and then had this break of three months. I am so excited to be back on the sets. The time slots are also strategically planned to ensure limited contact. We are adjusting to the new normal. — Helly Shah aka Riddhima in Ishq Mein Marjaawan