The entertainment industry is one of the hardest hit by the global lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. With productions halted for more than two months and releases postponed, the business of showbiz is going through one of its bleakest periods.
In India, filmmakers and production houses are in discussion with governments on how to resume activities as the fourth phase of lockdown draws near. One thing is clear-showbiz will not remain the same in the post-pandemic era. With social distancing being the motto of daily life now, the same principle applies to entertainment, too. And this is why, the portrayal of onscreen chemistry and romance will see a marked change.
In April, filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, in an Instagram post, r the same questions. He said that the cinema world will have to rethink how to shoot intimate scenarios. “How the cinema world conducts shooting intimate scenarios in the film to be seen and planned, after all this is over. Especially the intimate kissing/hugging scenes. How close or how far.. or cheat story telling in those intimate scenes for sometime,” Sircar wrote on Instagram.
Responding to Sircar, actress Dia Mirza had commented: “Guru, the entire process of making a film is intimate! So many people all coming together to create moment after moment in unity and synchronised effort. Aap intimate scene ki baath kar rahe ho, how will all that change? Will we be masked and gloved as a crew? Only time will tell.”
Sircar’s post also drew interesting comments from users who said we migth have to return to the age of cinema when love-making was conveyed by showing two flowers or a camera shot that wandered into the sky!
‘New working protocol’
In a new working protocol for the entertainment industry, recently put forth by the Producers Guild of India, suggests precautions during shoots. Suggesting that people maintain social distancing, the team talked about avoiding hugs, kisses, handshakes and other physical greetings, The Indian Express reported. Interestingly, there is a strict mandate against ‘sharing of cigarettes’ on the sets or studios.
Amanda Cutting, who has worked as an intimacy coordinator on shows such as Game of Thrones and The Magicians, told PTI that filming kissing and intimate scenes may become a concern amid coronavirus scare even after lockdown restrictions are lifted. Cutting, who has been roped in for MX player’s web series Mastram, said that besides ramping up sanitation procedure, the crew will have to get creative on how to portray intimacy. “Can it be done without kissing – it is my opinion – yes, absolutely,” she said.