News Leak Centre

No Fear No Favour

Are the authorities going to wake up when a senior actor commits suicide?: Actor Kanwaljit Singh

By Purvi Jain

Worried about the senior actors’ future, Actor Kanwaljit Singh seems quite annoyed with the decision taken up by the government and is questioning it for not permitting actors above 65 years of age to work due to coronavirus pandemic. He said so as he has been replaced by a young actor on his show ‘Sandwich’.

As films and television returns to shoot, it has been made mandatory that cast and crew which are more than 65 years of age are not to be included. It is done as older people are more prone to catch coronavirus.

However, Kanwaljit Singh is not happy with this decision. He has told the website ‘Film information’, “So what do actors like me do? Hang up our boots? How can I be asked NOT to work?” He also added that he had even bought a house near the shoot location. He said, “I have nothing against the new actor or the channel. But this rule needs to be changed. Otherwise, what will hundreds of actors like me do? We are fond of working, we love our work, how can the government stop us? Will the authorities wake up when one senior actor, in depression for being out of work, commits suicide? Not every senior actor or unit member is well placed enough to tide over these difficult times by simply sitting at home, not working. Most of them need to work, some for financial reasons, other for the sheer love for work”.

Like Kanwaljit Singh, other senior actors are also worried about their work. According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, Prithvi Zutshi was being informed that his role will go off from the TV show Pyar Ki Luka Chupi. In reaction to it, Zutshi argued, “My first reaction was, why was this ruling being implemented only on artists? There are shopkeepers who interact daily with customers, politicians who conduct rallies, and visit the hospital. Many of them fall in this age group, but are allowed to get on with their lives.”

Suhasini Mulay, Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan actor said, “In films and TV, actors get chosen based on their capabilities, charisma and the image they carry. If I can’t cast Amitabh Bachchan because he is over 65, should I cast Abhishek Bachchan instead just because he resembles him and has a similar name?”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *