In a relief for the entertainment industry, Union information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar announced on Sunday that all film and television shoots across the country can resume, along with a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place. While shoots had resumed in the main hub of Bollywood, Maharashtra, and scattered across states such as Kolkata, pan-India shoots hadn’t been allowed until now.

SOPs range from only actors facing the camera being exempted from wearing face masks, to ensuring visitors and audience are not allowed on sets.

Ashoke Pandit, chief advisor, Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) welcomes this move. “It’s a moral boost and now we can go to any state and shoot. In Mumbai, only small shoots had been possible, if someone wanted to shoot in, say, Bhopal or Lucknow, they wouldn’t know if their government would allow, because individual state governments had not issues any SOPs. It’s not only job opportunities for our industry, but everyone related to shooting- if a unit goes to Bhopal, local workers like hotels and vehicles get opportunities,” he says, adding that SOPs are similar to what had been in effect for Maharashtra.