CORONA KAAL ME SITAARON KI DUNIYA KA MAUSAM AUR MAAHOL BIGAAD DIYA

Not even the greatest astrologer, prophet, saint or even God must have imagined that a tiny virus would play havoc with the world in two years - Ali Peter John

But, the virus struck the whole world and the world of Hindi films was no exception. The virus was not a fan of any of the stars and those who make stars and affected all of them without any bias, partiality or mercy.

It even proved to be a threat to God who seemed to be looking on helplessly as it went on a killing spree.

The entire world came to a standstill and the world of Hindi films naturally also came to a standstill.

All theatres and multiplexes were closed, all studios had their shutters down and everyone from the star of the millennium to the spot boy and the worker were locked up for months and had nowhere to go.

It is difficult to imagine how much the film industry in Mumbai alone must have suffered financially and otherwise.

It was to be one of the best seasons in the career of Amitabh Bachchan who at the age of 78 had five films waiting for release and two new films ready to start and a new season of KBC to begin.

But, all work came to a sudden halt when the corona wave became ferocious. Amitabh did shoot for a few days, but even he had to rush back home and lock himself up with his family.

He still has films like Brahmastra, Chehre, Jhund and a cameo role in a Marathi film AB Aani CD waiting for release.

And there are new films like Mayday produced by Ajay Devgn, Goodbye being made by Ekta Kapoor and an untitled film in which he has taken the place of his friend Rishi Kapoor and is working with Deepika Padukone for the second time, the first being Piku.

Akshay Kumar is still waiting for the release of Sooryavanshi which was supposed to be released before the lockdown.

And had started shooting for Ram Setu in Ayodhyay, but after shooting for a few days, he too with his entire unit had to return to Mumbai and wait for the virus to be kind.

All the three Khans had their own problems because of corona.

Salman kept his promise of releasing Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai for Eid but he had to first release the film on an OTT platform and then think of releasing it in single screen theatres, in other parts of the world, especially in the Gulf countries.

His ardent fans loved the film, but critics and other enlightened people tore the film into tatters.

He is now looking forward to the only films he has on the floor – Antim: The Final Truth, Pathan and Tiger 3.

Shah Rukh Khan was having a bad time at the box-office after his ambitious films like Zero and Fan couldn’t live up to the expectations of a Shah Rukh Khan film.

He had waited for two years to sign the right film, which he found when he signed Pathan for Yash Raj Films and with Deepika, John Abraham and some leading stars in guest appearances.

The shooting started at Yash Raj Studios under tight security, but when the second wave came as a bigger threat than the first wave, the shooting of Pathan too was held up.

Aamir Khan has been working very hard on his film Laal Singh Chaddha in which he plays a ‘sardar’ for the first time with Kareena Kapoor as his leading lady.

The film has been delayed time and again and now seems like it will only be released in 2022, but we hope it is released earlier.
Dharma Productions had planned to start several new films, but the only film which went on the floors was Dostana 2 and now that Kartik Aryan is out of the film and the second wave is still on, one wonders when the film will start shooting again.

Yash Raj Films had announced a whole lot of films with the star cast and even the dates of the beginning and the date of release. Corona must have certainly played havoc with its ambitious plans.

Among the actresses , the one who has been worst affected by Corona is Alia Bhatt. 2021 was supposed to be the best year for her, but look at what corona has done to her.

She had three very big films set for release in 2021, Brahmastra, Telugu film RRR directed by Bahubali maker S. S. Rajamouli, but the release was postponed and Gangubhai Kathiawadi directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

But all these films had to be postponed to some other time and when that time willcome is not clear.

Deepika Padukone was all excited about being cast with Shah Rukh Khan again in Pathan and with Amitabh Bachchan in an untitled film.

She also had a cameo kind of role in ’83 in which her husband Ranveer Singh plays Kapil Dev. These films have been hit by the sting of Corona and their fate still hangs in the balance.

And what does one say about Kangana Ranaut ? She has been in the midst of controversies all through 2021.

But she still had films like Thalaivi in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages ready for release, but the queen of death, corona showed no fear or respect for the QUEEN and Thalavi has been pushed to some further date about which nothing is known.

Kangana had other films lined up for release like Tejas and Dhaakad but even though they say she has the clout which no other star has, she has not been able to do anything because corona has done everything.

As I write this piece, it is raining heavily in Mumbai like it has never rained and corona is still to be tamed, forget being wiped out as some of our politicians say. There are dark clouds of despair all around…

KYA YEH BURA WAQT NIKAL JAAYEGA? KYA YEH DUKH KE BAADAL CHALE JAAYENGE? KYA NAYA ZAMANA AAYEGA? AUR KYA WOH SUBAH AAYEGI JAB HUM SAB PHIR JHOOM KE NAACHENGE AUR GAAYENGE?