No age bar for shoots now
Ever since the entertainment industry got permission to resume shoots, there was a snag. Artists and technicians above 65 years of age were barred from being on sets. A lot projects, including of television serials, have elderly characters playing pivotal roles and importantly they were popular with the viewers too. The concerned unions and caretaking bodies of entertainment industry have knocked on the court’s door for lifting of that embargo. After a tussle and battle with the authorities, Hon Court granted permission to allow 65+years personnel on the sets. This comes as a relief for many.
Entertainment industry bodies, IMPPA and CINTAA issued an official statement to that effect. IMPAA circular stated, ‘1. This is to inform that though under the unlock conditions the State of Maharashtra had allowed the shooting of films and serials but had imposed condition that the persons above the age of 65 and above will not be entitled to participate in the shooting process either as Artist or as crew members.
2.IMPPA alongwith one Mr. Pramod Pandey had challenged the validity of the said directions before the Hon’ble High Court Mumbai and accordingly, by an order passed today the said Petition has been allowed by the Hon’ble High Court by holding that no such restriction could be imposed on the basis of age of the persons and clarified that only precautionary guidelines which are applicable to all other business shall be applicable and no specific condition can be imposed in respect of a particular section. Copy of the order is awaited and in the meanwhile the present press release is being issued. Advocate Ashok M. Saraogi appeared for IMPPA in the matter.
Dated this 7th day of August, 2020’
CINTAA issued a statement and it’s Senior Joint Secretary and Chairperson – Outreach Committee, CINTAA, Amit Behl informed, “This is a great piece of news that the honourable High Court of Mumbai has quashed the orders of actors and technicians of 65 and above that barred them from shooting. I think this is the result of the joint efforts made by CINTAA, IFTPC, IMPPA, FWICE and our *erstwhile* senior members like Our President Shri Vikram Gokhale,Manoj Joshi (Senior VP, CINTAA), who visited the Governor of Maharashtra, Hema Malini ji who approached the Home Ministry and Shabana Azmi ji who has been in touch with the Honorable Minister Amit Deshmukh. Finally it has happened! Members who have lost their jobs or have been replaced in the interim period when this order had not come is an unfortunate collateral damage. It’s a great victory! There’s a sense of solace and a sense of relaxation that we at CINTAA feel. Our senior members, who were in any way troubled with the lockdown and the pandemic can now heave a sigh of relief and work peacefully. Kudos! Congratulations and also big congratulations to Pramod Pandey who made the effort to actually file a PIL. And a big thank you to the Union Ministry, the Government of Maharashtra and all the people who were involved in getting this effort done. I am hoping everybody stays safe and we are back to a healthy shooting ecosystem soon!”
Senior artists and technicians have profusely thanked everyone who battled it out.