Akshay Kumar begins shooting in Covid 19

Actor Akshay Kumar and director R Balki collaborated on a public service ad to shoot for the video at Kamalistan Studios – once belonging to the legendary Kamal Amrohi at Andheri East in Mumbai. This was the first outdoor shoot in Mumbai after all shoots shut down across India from March 18, 2020 following the coronavirus scare.

Akshay and Balki thus became the first people from Bollywood to step out during the lockdown to shoot for this special project.

What was interesting was the fact that every one on the set was properly santitised and given fresh masks before they started shooting. After a series of rules had been given out by various film bodies including the Multiplex Association of Indian (MAI) and the Film Producer’s Guild, a completely new way was set up on how to conduct a shoot. “Everyone who came to the shoot, discarded their old masks, went under a contraption that sanitised them properly all over again and then they had to get their temperature checked and put on a mask as well as a shield on their faces. Even the actor and the director as well as the entire crew had a similar get up,” say sources.

The ad was shot for the department of drinking water and sanitation, Ministry of Jalshakti, Government of India with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on May 22, 23 and May 25 when Akshay reached the sets for the shoot. Akshay is also a brand ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and works for similar causes.

The makers had taken all the required permissions from the police and the local administration before starting to shoot as it was an important shoot which had to be done and it was concerning hygeine. The permissions were then given for the team to shoot for three days. Akshay joined the shoot on the third day after other shots had been canned and the makers were also sure that everything was going on rather smoothly.

Akshay was wearing a white shirt with a vermillion scarf along with his mask before he gave the shot. Akshay has collaborated with Balki earlier in films like Padman which was directed by the filmmaker and Mission Mangal which was produced by Balki.