After being in nationwide lockdown for almost four months, the shoots of serials and films resumed a few weeks ago, but with numerous guidelines to be allowed there. One of them was not allowing actors technicians above the age of 65 to shoot or in the sets keeping the adverse effects of the pandemic on their health in mind as their immunity power regarded as low compare to others age category.

Although this is in favour of senior citizens this guideline had not gone well with senior actors and cine bodies. Raising the question of how will they survive, how they will manage their livelihood these testing times if they aren’t allowed to work, associations had requested the Maharashtra Government to issue relaxation on July 23, 2020.

With all these concerns the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) had issued a letter to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr Uddhav Thackeray. In the letter, the cine body mentioned that not allowing senior actors and crew members on sets is an impractical guideline. Stating that they are masters in their craft and can’t be replaced, IMPPA asked Mr Thackeray to look into the matter at the earliest.

Now, there is good news for all the cine bodies and senior actors and crew members. After IMPPA along with Bollywood actor Pramod Pandey challenged the validity of the said directions before the Honourable High Court Mumbai, an order passed today and the said Petition has been allowed by the Honourable High Court by holding that no such restriction could be imposed on the basis of age of the person and clarified that only precautionary guidelines which are applicable to all other business shall be applicable and no specific condition can be imposed in respect of a particular section. The court allowed all producers, technicians, workers and artists above the age of 65 to work, following all necessary guidelines. Advocate Ashok M. Saraogi appeared for IMPPA in the matter.

IMPPA has won in the high court as the Court has allowed artists and technicians above the age of 65 to be on sets. This order will appear thousands of smile in the face of the senior actor and other technicians who are working for this entertainment industry for so long.