GECs
TV actors on resuming work and challenges faced while shooting
MUMBAI: Now that most shows have resumed on TV, the entertainment is back on. However, the new experience of shooting is something that even actors are getting used to. While Kumkum Bhagya’s Mugdha Chaphekar is excited to meet her unit and the cast after three months, Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega actor Nishant Singh Malkani is most concerned about performing the same as before.
Malkani further adds that currently the biggest challenge before every producer, actor or technician is to ensure safety. He says, “We need to wear masks and gloves after each shot. We use a sanitiser before removing or wearing the mask and gloves. There are very intricate details which we have to follow to avoid any mishap. It is easy to take precautions while you are at home but it is difficult when you are in a group of 50 to 60 people. And seeing everyone in PPE kits makes me feel like I’m entering a laboratory.”
Maddam Sir actress Bhavika Sharma finds it difficult to shoot with less number of crew members. She mentions that earlier a lot of work was done by other people, but it is not possible now considering the Covid2019 situation. It’s also necessary to sit far away from each other on the set and so the fun element is reduced.
According to Chaphekar people are alert about what they touch all the time. She also thinks that maintaining distance while shooting with everyone is also tough, but till now everything has been going smooth on the set.
Most of the crew members are staying on the set, and actors are preferably using their own vehicle to travel to ensure the least number of people come from outside. “I take the care myself, so I don't have to worry about it. In fact, I clean my car every day and sanitise everything and take all the necessary precautions to ensure safe travel to and fro from the set,” Chaphekar further adds.
Actors highlight that they prefer to do their own makeup. Malkani shares that earlier, each actor used to have a separate hair and makeup artist but now there are only two makeup artists available on set. They just supervise the actors and if there is any mistake, they sanitise their hand and follow all the guidelines before fixing it.
While most of the actors are getting scripts digitally to avoid any contact through papers Chaphekar points out that she gets her script on the set itself. She adds, “We get our scripts in our rooms when we arrive. So straight away, I spray my script with a sanitizer and keep it aside for a bit. After that, I read it out and prepare all my lines. Furthermore, I do not carry it to the set, so it is always safe to touch.” However, the actors are not allowed to share their mobile phones.
Despite all the changes, the only thing that has remained constant is the shift timings which stays from 7 am to 7 pm.
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
