Vivek Agnihotri on COVID-19: Will have health experts on set

The Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihotri on precautions being taken to tackle COVID-19.

It was on August 15 last year that Vivek Agnihotri announced his upcoming offering on the mass exodus of Kashmiri Hindus in the '90s, promising to present it "next year, same time, on our 73rd Independence anniversary".

Even in the wake of the coronavirus health scare, Agnihotri wants to keep his date with audiences. While he hasn't called time on the shooting schedule of The Kashmir Files, his team will take precautions to ensure the unit's safety, before rolling in Delhi next week. "Keeping in mind the sensitive situation, I've decided to do a pre-shoot workshop with the crew to discuss hygiene measures, and precautions that must be followed. There will be trained health professionals on set, and we will keep a list of ambulance numbers, as well as names of nearby hospitals, handy. We will also create awareness about fitness, and the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle," says the director, also adding that the team will get an insurance for every crew member.

"We are getting a general insurance [for the crew]. There's no specific insurance for coronavirus yet. Initially, I panicked, but I [choose to] focus on creative health. Human beings [must] be emotionally strong to be physically strong. We couldn't delay the shoot, because of the Kashmir schedule. The central government is promoting tourism in Kashmir, so there will be more people in the region later which will making shooting difficult," says Agnihotri, adding that the unit will divide filming between Kashmir and Mumbai.

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