Resort owners outside Maharashtra lay red carpet for TV soap shootings

Production stalled amid lockdown in Mumbai; at least 50-60 shows including daily serials and weekend shows being shot in Gujarat and Hyderabad

Television production units have been an unlikely saviour for the resorts in Gujarat, Goa and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, which would have otherwise seen near-zero occupancy due to the lockdown. With shooting of daily TV soaps and reality shows stalled in Mumbai due to the Covid 19, the cast and crew of the production houses found a new haven at these resorts. They have been camping there for over a month with some even planning to go back.

Conversations with multiple television producers reveal that at least 50-60 television shows including daily serials and weekend shows are being shot in locations such as Gujarat and Hyderabad. At least half of them are being shot in places outside Mumbai including Alibaug in Maharashtra, Daman and Silvassa, near Gujarat, and Umbergaon in Gujarat.

For instance episodes of Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma are being shot at the Mirasol Resort in Daman while Anupama, another popular TV soap’s   episodes are being shot at Khanvel Resort in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Havelli. Shoots of reality shows Indian Idol and Super Dancer, Chapter 4 have been going at The Deltin in Daman.

Albeit at a lower rate, the trend has kept the cash registers ringing at the resorts. Owing to the bulk deals and continuous business, resorts are offering deep discounts—in some cases at one-third of the rates to what they will offer to regular guests but they don't have any qualms as it is still better than unoccupied rooms.  

“We have to give them a discount as they are used to lower rates in Mumbai.  But we are not complaining as it’s a continuous business,” said Nakul Jain, director at Khanvel Resort. On an average the resort had about 90 rooms of its 200 rooms occupied for the month of May and about 50 in April. It expects about 40 room’s occupancy till mid of June. Jain wouldn’t divulge the quantum of discount but concedes it’s much lower than the regular room nights.  Normal guests will have to fork out Rs 6,000 plus taxes for a night at the resort.  

Still, TV producers estimate the cost escalation to be in the region of 25-30 per cent over shooting them   in Mumbai. The package includes everything from boarding, lodging and shooting on premise. Television producer JD Majethia, who is the chairman of the Indian Films and TV Producers Council (IFTPC), said that television shoots were on for forty days and would continue till the end of May. Maharashtra including Mumbai is relaxing lockdown rules in June in a phased manner, permitting television and film shoots to resume.

Some resorts expect to continue getting business from producers even in June. Maruti Mahable, sales manager at Mirasol Resort in Daman says among other shows, the resort was booked by the producers of Dance Diwane – a dance reality show from April 28 to May 28. “They are coming back in June as Mumbai wouldn’t allow shoots till June 15,” he said.  The crew had booked 60 out of 200 rooms. The resort offered them a discount of 20-25 per cent on the normal rate. It included all meals.

"The guidelines for shooting in Covid times are stringent. We operate in a bio-bubble, implying the cast and crew cannot step out of the location, where the shoot is happening. Neither can anyone from outside breach the bio-bubble,” Majethia says.

Social distancing, sanitization and rigorous testing are undertaken of cast and crew. Barring the actors, the production staff during the shooting have to operate in protective gear and maintain social distancing. Around 60-70 people across cast and crew are permitted for these shoots, which may emerge as an alternate model in the event Mumbai sees a third wave later this year.