The film industry has decided to aid the government in their diktat to shut down gyms, cinema halls, schools and swimming pools, to stem the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), Western India Film Producers’ Association (WIFPA), Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) and Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) have all taken a decision to shut down all film and TV shootings till the end of the month.

“We met on Sunday at the IMPPA office and decided unanimously to shut down shooting. As for the losses, we all felt jaan hai toh jahan hai,” Ashoke Pandit, president, IFTDA had said, according to the Hindustan Times.

In the midst of all this, Federation of Western India Cine Employees announced in a press release that they will be organising the distribution and basic materials to the members of all its affiliates.

However, now, because of the government’s lockdown in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, this initiative has come face to face with another hurdle. A Mid-Day report quoted Manish Goswami, vice president, Film and Television Producers’ Guild as saying, “Not every daily wage worker has a bank account, so they would have to come and collect the money. At this point, an assembly of four to five people is not allowed, so we can neither gather [those in need] nor conduct meetings.”