Akshay Kumar and the team of Bell Bottom (2021) will head to the UK on a chartered flight for the upcoming extended shoot. The film’s production house, Pooja Entertainment, has been meticulously planning the shoot abroad keeping in mind the proper safety precautions.
The film’s lead Akshay Kumar said in a statement, “The new normal has made us realise a different way of working that none of us could have imagined. As much as I'm happy to be back on the sets, it's also important for us to take care of everything around us. Pooja Entertainment has laid down a safety plan for our shooting schedule abroad. We hope these measures help us accomplish a smooth and safe shoot.”
Pooja Entertainment, after consulting medical experts, has required all cast and crew to wear a wristwatch that will be constantly monitoring their oxygen levels, body temperature, blood pressure, stress levels and pulse. They will also wear medical-grade masks and face shields. Furthermore, a centralized dashboard will constantly record the parameters of the entire unit and keep a check for any change in readings.
Producer Jackky Bhagnani stressed that the health of his unit is of utmost importance to him. “It is only after every department and every individual was assured of the measures taken that we are embarking on this journey,” he said. “From a doctor on the set at all times to keeping the entire set disinfected at all times, safety first is our mantra. It’s a challenge but it makes Bell Bottom even more special for all of us.”
His sister, producer Deepshikha Deshmukh also pointed out the extra efforts the company was taking to make the set safe for all. "Medical waste is as big an issue and we are taking all possible steps to make sure we are an environmentally conscious film unit,” she said. “We are immensely grateful to the entire unit for trusting us to look after them. Our film unit is like our family and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The film's cast and crew members will also maintain physical distancing of no less than six feet wherever possible. Hand sanitizing stations will be present all around on the set, and all surface areas and equipment to be disinfected frequently using alcohol-based sanitizers before and after every shoot.
The period film which also stars Vaani Kapoor, Huma Qureshi and Lara Dutta, will have a start-to-finish stint as the coronavirus pandemic is a concern in many countries around the world. Bell Bottom has been written by Aseem Arrora and Parveez Shaikh.
Director Ranjit M Tewari added, "It is going to be a challenging shoot given the circumstances, but I am extremely confident of the health and safety protocols put in place by Pooja Entertainment. Every member of the Bell Bottom family is exhilarated and geared up to kick start work."
Amit Ray and Subrata Chakraborty, the film’s production designers, echoed the director’s thoughts. “It is a challenging time to shoot a film no doubt, but we look at it as a creative challenge – to manage all that is happening around us, keep all protocols in place and despite that help create a special feel for this film.”
Sushant, the head of spot boy team for Bell Bottom, said, "Sab spot boys aur technical staff ko saare processes samjha diye gaye hain [All spot boys and technical staff have been told of the safety processes]. Hum sab ko samjhaya gaya hai ki set par jane se pehle aur set per kya kya precaution lena hai [We have been told what precautions to take before going on and off set]. Sab log kaam per jane kay liye utsuk hain [We are all eager to get back to work]."
The Bell Bottom team is expected to leave soon for their UK shoot. The film, which is co-produced by Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani and Nikkhil Advani, is due to be released on 2 April 2021.