MUMBAI: Rattled by the three incidents of leopards straying into Film City in the past two months, producers' associations have started giving out warnings to scared film and television unit members who use the compound for shoots regularly. Urging them to be cautious, they have asked the cast and crew members not to walk out of film sets alone or and not carry too much food in the forest.
Leopards straying into Film City thrice in the past two months have rattled film and television unit members who use the compound for shoots and producers' associations have also started giving out warning the casts and crew members shoot units about taking some basic precautions like not walking out of film sets alone or not carrying too much food into the forest.
The third case of a leopard intrusion at film shoots in and around Film City in the last two months has alarmed film and television units shooting in the premises on a regular basis.
Associations have started telling shoot units about taking some basic precautions like not walking out of film sets alone or not carrying too much food into the forest.
"We are taking a lot of precaution and not allowing our staff and artistes to walk out of the set alone if they don't have vehicles," said J D Majithia of Association of Film and Television Programme Producers Association.
Though the recent incidents have spread waves of fear among artistes and crew members, veterans in the industry said such cases were not new. Director Rajan Shahi, who claimed to have spotted leopards visiting his Amrit Manthan set regularly, said, "I have been in the industry for 20 years and have learnt to deal with such situations. Shootings have been stalled as leopards would refuse to leave the sets. It is scary,"
Shahi has instructed his unit members that they should not try to provoke or chase away any leopard but call forest officials on spotting an animal. "We also have pythons, scorpions and other animals in Film City. We need to save them and cannot harm them," he said.
But Film City studio officials feel the producers don't really pay heed to the circulars issued to them for their safety. Joint managing director of the studio Mangesh Mohite said, "Leopards do not come to the set to watch the stars, they come for food. Producers often do not follow our instructions not to litter inside the studio. Food packets strewn on the sets attract dogs and pigs, which are easy preys of leopards." He added even the residents of Film City had been told not to allow their children to walk out of home after dark.
Even as Film City studio officials plan to hold a meeting with forest officials, the latter said they had circulated a set of advisories for film and TV units. "We have told Film City officials to warn all crew members
about leopards. A circular has been issued to keep the area clean of litter," said Sunil Limaye, chief conservator of forests, Sanjay Gandhi National Park. "Heavy equipment should not be left behind as the animals take refuge behind them." A control room has been set up there.and can evade being spotted," he added.
Limaye added that a control room had been set up in Film City for prompt action.
Leopards straying into Film City thrice in the past two months have rattled film and television unit members who use the compound for shoots and producers' associations have also started giving out warning the casts and crew members shoot units about taking some basic precautions like not walking out of film sets alone or not carrying too much food into the forest.
The third case of a leopard intrusion at film shoots in and around Film City in the last two months has alarmed film and television units shooting in the premises on a regular basis.
Associations have started telling shoot units about taking some basic precautions like not walking out of film sets alone or not carrying too much food into the forest.
"We are taking a lot of precaution and not allowing our staff and artistes to walk out of the set alone if they don't have vehicles," said J D Majithia of Association of Film and Television Programme Producers Association.
Though the recent incidents have spread waves of fear among artistes and crew members, veterans in the industry said such cases were not new. Director Rajan Shahi, who claimed to have spotted leopards visiting his Amrit Manthan set regularly, said, "I have been in the industry for 20 years and have learnt to deal with such situations. Shootings have been stalled as leopards would refuse to leave the sets. It is scary,"
Shahi has instructed his unit members that they should not try to provoke or chase away any leopard but call forest officials on spotting an animal. "We also have pythons, scorpions and other animals in Film City. We need to save them and cannot harm them," he said.
But Film City studio officials feel the producers don't really pay heed to the circulars issued to them for their safety. Joint managing director of the studio Mangesh Mohite said, "Leopards do not come to the set to watch the stars, they come for food. Producers often do not follow our instructions not to litter inside the studio. Food packets strewn on the sets attract dogs and pigs, which are easy preys of leopards." He added even the residents of Film City had been told not to allow their children to walk out of home after dark.
Even as Film City studio officials plan to hold a meeting with forest officials, the latter said they had circulated a set of advisories for film and TV units. "We have told Film City officials to warn all crew members
about leopards. A circular has been issued to keep the area clean of litter," said Sunil Limaye, chief conservator of forests, Sanjay Gandhi National Park. "Heavy equipment should not be left behind as the animals take refuge behind them." A control room has been set up there.and can evade being spotted," he added.
Limaye added that a control room had been set up in Film City for prompt action.
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