The show must go on: Bollywood's creative minds make most of coronavirus shutdown

creative community of writers, filmmakers and musicians says y are hoping to use this time of self-isolation during coronavirus pandemic to come up with new material or finally focus on that "one dream project".

With major Bollywood releases postponed and shootings on halt due to COVID-19 outbreak, production houses and studios have instructed ir employees to work from home, while writers, filmmakers and musicians are using this quiet time to come up with new material. 

For 83' (whose release was postponed recently) post-production work is in progress. In fact, post work is happening on individual level for Girl On Train'. It may t be at same pace and volume but in a manner work is continuing, a top Reliance Entertainment official told PTI.

"Writing and development activity for newer subjects is happening,   official ded. Similarly, Abundantia Entertainment's Shakuntala Devi, featuring Vidya Balan, is scheduled to be released atrically on May 8. shoot was underway for two or movies Bhumi Pednekar-starrer Durgavati and Sherni.

We are all trying to do as much work as we can from home. All necessary work (post) for Shakuntala Devi' is happening, from everyone's homes. Everybody is working on individual level, source ded. studio has suspended production and post-production work till March 31.

Director Anees Bazmee, who is currently at his farmhouse in Lonavala, is spending time with his family while supervising work on Kartik Aaryan's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. We are working on a few things on Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2', in terms of what to do next, like fine-tuning on writing level and where to shoot next. work for a writer is always on at every level be it script, dialogues or screenplay, Bazmee said.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 crew h to suspend ir shooting in Luckw due to coronavirus spre. Less than 50 per cent of shoot is done. situation is very risky outside so it is essential to remain in isolation. We are just hoping and praying things become rmal soon, Bazmee said.

Writer-director Sabbir Khan, who is awaiting release of Nikamma on June 5, said re is a sense of completion as most of shoot on film was alrey over by time lockdown was anunced. I have been lucky as our shoot is complete. re is just one song left, which can be inserted later. It is a special promotional track. post production is also almost done, he ded.

Sabbir said he is utilising this isolation period by putting his creative energies into one of his dream projects. re was an idea on which I wanted to work for a very long time, I am utilising this time to work on script, Sabbir, who has directed Heropanti and Baaghi, said. Thapp co-writer Mrunmayee Lagoo is busy developing stories for both films and OTT.

This kind of culture is something writers are used to, we always work from home. only difference is you can't have casual chat or meeting in person with anyone.  I am working on a few ideas, one with Anubhav Sinha sir again. I am also developing story for a big streaming company which is easy breezy but meaningful, Mrunmayee said.

t just writers, musicians too are looking at creating new music and techlogy is re for help, to some extent. Shekhar (Ravjiani) and I are into a songwriting st for a project right w, we are working on it from home. We send songs to each or. We are working on entire project, which is big and special, ted music composer Vishal Dlani said. Ar music composer duo Salim-Sulaiman are working on new melodies.

Right w, we are composing songs, writing melodies. We have a very good system on Internet where I can work with my engineer, Aftab, who works with us. He sends us stuff from his home studio, n both Sulaiman and I approve it. All our recording stuff is happening virtually, on Internet. We are using techlogy to stay in touch with world, Salim said. musicians are also putting toger ir new album called Bhoomi 2020', which will be released this year.

We will anunce it as soon as possible. album has seven songs featuring Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Sukhwinder Singh, Jonita Gandhi, Salman Ali and a lot of ors. duo ded that work on atrical production of 1980s classic film Disco Dancer is on as well. We are bringing it live on st. It is going to be live atrical musical production we are doing it with SaReGaMa, Salim said.