BOLLYWOOD reacted with shock and horror on Thursday as brazen attacks on luxury hotels, hospitals and a tourist cafe in Mumbai killed at least 101 people and brought the bustling city to a standstill.
“Mumbai under terrorist attack! Terrible! Terrible Situation!" actor Amitabh Bachchan posted on his blog (http://bigb.bigadda.com/) just hours after the attacks were reported late on Wednesday.
Several film shoots were cancelled in Mumbai while security was tightened at the ongoing International Film Festival of India in the nearby state of Goa.
“Shootings in Mumbai, especially those in South Mumbai, have been cancelled because people are scared to come out of their houses,” Mukesh Bhatt, chairman of the core committee of Bollywood producers, said. “But some producers are still shooting. We have to get used to terror now.” Ajay Devgan and his wife Kajol were to shoot for their animation film Toonpur Ka Superhero in suburban Chembur on Thursday but those plans were called off.
The shooting of several television serials have also been put on hold in view of the grim situation prevailing in the megapolis in view of the attacks that have left at least 100 dead till now, industry sources said. However, producer Mukesh Bhatt said the shooting for his film was in progress in the city. Abhay Deol, whose Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye is releasing tomorrow, said he was finding it difficult to concentrate on promotion of his film.
“Celebrating films seems a little selfish right now," the actor said.
With a holiday declared in Mumbai, heads of television channels have asked employees to stay indoors. “Television shootings are going slow. Many of them are not happening today,” they added.
Many of the areas targeted in the attacks are frequented by celebrities from Bollywood. “To think that any one can walk in with AK-47 into a station or a five-star hotel boggles the mind,” said actor Rahul Bose. Bollywood recently lost millions of rupees in revenue in the past two months due to workers striking over better pay.
The terror attacks are bound to hit the industry even harder. “The immediate effect will be that people will be wary of going to theatres so revenues will suffer,” Bose said. In the tourist haven of Goa, armed policemen mingled with delegates and lovers of cinema and a minute-long silence is being observed before each screening at India’s most prestigious film festival. “We have some 500 foreign delegates here, and we are doing everything to make sure they and the other delegates and our guests are safe,” festival director S M Khan said.
Oscar-nominated French actress Catherine Deneuve was scheduled to arrive on Thursday while jury head filmmaker Peter Chan was already at the festival venue. (Agencies)