POOJA ENTERTAINMENT’S ESPIONAGE THRILLER BELLBOTTOM BECOMES THE FIRST FILM GLOBALLY TO COMPLETE AN ENTIRE SHOOT IN THE PANDEMIC

Heritage Indian production house, Pooja Entertainment, has become the first studio globally and across any film industry to complete a feature film shoot from start to finish during the Pandemic. Starring Bollywood’s most lucrative actor, Akshay Kumar, espionage thriller, Bellbottom, has not just successfully wrapped its Covid-proof filming schedule but piqued audience curiosity by releasing a new poster and a teaser ahead of the release of the film early next year. 

A doyen in the Hindi film industry and founder of Pooja Entertainment, Vashu Bhagnani has now handed the stewardship to next-generation producers Jackky Bhagnani and Deepshikha Deshmukh who pushed the creative envelope even further by completing the retro-themed whodunit Bellbottom with two COVID-19 proof schedules in Scotland and England. The film directed by Ranjit M Tewari and written by Aseem Arrora and Parveez Shaikh stars Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Huma Qureshi and Lara Dutta Bhupathi.  

Jackky Bhagnani says, "The Bellbottom shoot was a challenge but it makes the film even more special for all of us because what we saw unfolding was pure, cinematic magic.  There is a significant number of people dependent on the film industry so it was important that we restart the industry engines during the pandemic. Completing this film without a single case of ill-health reported on set was a big relief and it was important for us to show the world that it is possible to do what seems impossible with proper preparation and meticulous planning. I hope our example boosts industry morale and lifts spirits. And yes, I hope, it encourages more makers across the global film industry to start rolling the cameras with confidence."

The safety protocols observed from the start included a chartered plane for over 200 members of the cast and production crew, a mandatory two-week quarantine in Scotland, on set sanitization precautions for everyone including, foreign junior artists on assorted locations. Social distancing, medical-grade masks and face shields, hand sanitisation stations, painstaking cleaning of all touch-sensitive surfaces, a mandatory wristwatch for all cast and crew members to constantly monitor their oxygen levels, body temperature, blood pressure, stress levels and pulse were part of the daily shoot. There was also a centralised dashboard constantly recording the parameters of the entire unit.  

Akshay Kumar says, "The new normal has made us realise a different way of working that none of us could have imagined. As much as I’ve been happy to be back on the sets, it's also important for us to take care of everything around us. Pooja Entertainment laid down a water-tight safety plan for our shooting schedule in Scotland and England.  These measures helped us accomplish a smooth and safe shoot. We were extremely glad to be able to start shooting for Bellbottom after the long lockdown. I hope this encourages film industries globally to do what they do best and start entertaining audiences again. I hope our shoot during the pandemic reassures others that it’s time to get things moving again.”  

During the shoot, Bellbottom found itself in the company of a handful of international, mega-budget films that got back on the floors during the pandemic such as Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible 7 and Jurassic Park: Dominion, but was the first to race to the finishing line.

Producer Deepshikha Deshmukh adds, "It feels wonderful to have completed the shoot and releasing the teaser is a celebration of what we achieved collectively. We were eager to share it with everyone more as a means of motivation and as a reassurance to audiences that the industry is back in business. What was heartening was not just that we got the artists back on the sets but also industry professionals involved in the process of filmmaking."

The result was a seamless completion of the film within 60 days, even with a two-week quarantine thrown in. This was done with full compliance with the standard operating procedures issued by the Scotland Film Commission.

Vaani Kapoor adds, "This was easily among the smoothest productions that I have been a part of. I was concerned about how it was going to play out, given the fear and health concerns but I must thank and congratulate Pooja Entertainment for the fantastic planning and the attention to detail. I hope this gives encouragement and confidence to other people back home to shoot."

Bellbottom is set to release on April 2, 2021. Pooja Entertainment had a bumper start to 2020 with Jawaani Jaaneman. As a production house, they have always been drawn to and produced content-driven films that have interesting storylines while being entertaining. Their next ready for release is Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan's Coolie No.1. The 360 degrees integrated studio has also announced the remake of the iconic Burning Train which is yet to go on floors.

Watch the official Bellbottom teaser video here.

Join the conversation:

#BellBottom