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EXCLUSIVE: Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's Asit Modi on budget, challenges to resume, actors' apprehensions
While the details of resuming the shoots are still blurry, we spoke to the creator of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Asit Kummar Modi, who opened up on their biggest challenge currently, the budgets, convincing actors, and more.
After a break of three months, Television shows will begin shooting next week. The team of one of the most-watched shows Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is extremely excited to begin shoot amid Unlock Phase 1. The show has been running for over 12 years now and is close to completing 3000 episodes, a feat in itself. While the details of resuming the shoots are still blurry, we spoke to the creator of the show, Asit Kumarr Modi, who opened up on their biggest challenge currently, the budgets, convincing actors, and more. Over to him:
TMKOC is a show which has too many characters and is not about one individual. What is the biggest challenge you are facing currently?
The biggest challenge for me is how to ensure the safety of all my cast and crew members. Secondly, it is such a difficult time and comedy is such a difficult genre, how to give that happiness quotient in every episode. Thirdly, the rainy season has commenced and there are so many regulations, we will have to work very hard, it is not easy. The government has given guidelines but executing it on the ground level is not as easy as it sounds, we are doing our homework and paperwork on the same. Some guidelines which are sort of not practical for us to do, we are discussing with the concerned authorities, so everything is parallelly happening and hoping that the shoot resumes soon. 
Actors have expressed their apprehensions to resume shoots. Did you face any such hurdles?
I think every actor understands now that we need to begin the shoot. It's been quite some time since we didn't. We will have to live with the virus now. I know people are scared but what more options do we have? Are we going to hide in our homes for the year? People have to move out of their house for daily needs. I am not saying don't be scared but I feel we need to move with precautions. Like we take precautions while driving, similarly, we must now take precautions for this. We don't know when the vaccine will come, people are assuming different dates but even if it is discovered, to mass-produce the vaccine is no cakewalk. It is difficult, I know but we have to move with precautions. If not now, then later, but we will have to find a way, right?
For a show which has been running for the longest time, the biggest challenge would be to manage the cast and crew which have been there for the longest time. With 33% crew allowed, how are you planning that?
We are managing and learning in the process. We have also not faced something like this before, so we are also learning to adapt. From the crew to the artists, everyone will have to take the onus on themselves and take responsibility as a team. I will keep every precaution ready but in the end, it is on the individual. Once we begin work, we will get more clarity.
Budget cuts are something that is worrying producers. What about you?
Regarding budgets, we haven't got any intimidation as yet. Right now only discussions are on, but once the shooting starts only then we will have an idea. Right now, we can't function thinking what if they cut the budget. Everyone will obviously think how to cut cost but nothing majorly has been informed as yet.
The show is going to complete 3000 episodes soon. How are you driving the team to fight these testing times?
We all work hard on the show, we have to devote ourselves to the show and our audience. Our first responsibility is to our audience and we feel responsible to not disappoint them. Everyone works really hard on it. From Dilip Joshi to all artists, workers, crew members, writers, cameramen, we are all now looking at how to work best in such difficult times. I tell everyone that we will get through it. It is a relief to know that people get their dose of happiness by watching our show.
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