The entertainment industry had just started taking slow and steady steps towards getting back to work and resuming shoots. But in came the distressing news–Big B and Jr Bachchan along with Aishwarya and Aradhaya Bachchan have been tested positive for COVID-19.
TV heartthrob Parth Samthaan aka Anurag Basu of Kasautii Zindagii Kay reboot shared on social media yesterday that he was COVID-19 positive too. All of these actors had returned to work. While Big B was reportedly dubbing for a project from a studio in one of his bungalows, Parth had resumed the shoot on June 27 after a three-month-long break.
The news of Parth testing positive for the virus has definitely come as a concern for the industry. All the shoots at Killick Nixon Studio in Chandivali where Parth was shooting were immediately called off. The actors and crew members who were in close contact with Parth have been asked to undergo tests.
Karan Patel, Erica Fernandes and Pooja Banerjee To Undergo COVID-19 Test
Karan Patel, who just stepped into the shoes of Mr Rishabh Bajaj, has to undergo the COVID-19 test. In an official statement released by his team, Karan said that even though he hasn’t been shooting for the past few days, he would take the test. The actor asked his fans to stay calm and not panic as this was just a precautionary measure.
Pooja Banerjee aka Nivedita Basu, Parth’s reel sister, also confirmed that the production house has called the health officials to get the tests done. Apart from them, Shubhaavi Choksey (Anurag Basu’s mother) and Erica Fernandes (Prena) will also undergo the tests.
Shoots Stalled Again Due To The Increasing Number Of Cases
Noy only Kasautti, Parth testing positive has stalled the shooting of four other TV shows – Pavitra Bhagya, Kumkum Bhagya, Naagin 4 and Kundali Bhagya. Considering the gravity of the situation, their shoots have been stopped for three days. The cast and crew shot for the first half of the day and were immediately asked to pack up.
Several actors of the show confirmed that Balaji Telefilms was taking all the necessary precautionary measures, besides sanitising the sets three times a day. From temperature checks to monitoring the oxygen levels, everything was being taken care of.
Also Read: WHO Finally Acknowledges That COVID-19 Can Be Airborne & This Changes A Lot Of Things
Ekta Kapoor and Balaji Telefilms also issued a statement on Instagram about the precautionary measures they are taking, “We would like to inform various stakeholders that one of our talents from the show Kasautii Zindagii Kay has tested positive for COVID-19 and is now receiving medical attention. Our first priority is to help protect our talent, production crew and employees. We are taking all the precautions detailed in the guideline. We were and will continue following all medical protocols set by the authorities and have implemented guidelines concerning social interactions, hygiene, travel, and visits to the sets”.
After Parth, the Creative Head of Balaji Telefilms Tanusri Dasgupta also confirmed that she tested positive for COVID-19 last week. She was taken to the hospital after her oxygen levels dropped, she revealed.
All The TV Actors Who Tested Positive
Kiran Kumar
Sanjeevni Today
Veteran actor Kiran Kumar, who has worked in TV shows like Maryadaa and Miilee tested positive for the novel coronavirus on May 19. He was asymptomatic and tested negative a week later.
Mohena Kumari
TV actress Mohena Kumari, who was last seen in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, tested COVID-19 positive in June along with her husband Suyyesh Rawat and other family members. After a month-long treatment, Mohena finally tested negative on July 1.
Besides the struggles of shooting amidst the pandemic, there are several TV actors who faced financial issues due to the lack of work. TV actors Manmeet Grewal and Preksha Mehta’s death to suicide also left the entire television industry in shock. There are still a lot of actors who are skeptical about coming back to work because of the pandemic.
The pandemic has sure changed our lives to a great extent. Taking precautions and not stepping out unless absolutely necessary is the only safety measure we can take at the moment.
Featured Image: Instagram/India.com
