Crossovers refer to episodes where the cast of two or more serials are clubbed together. He adds that following the complete lockdown in March last year, the makers of several serials have been trying to shoot episodes in advance and have a good number of episodes in stock so that the show could continue to go on air even if the government orders the production of television shows and movies to be halted.Ĭrossover episodes, which are generally reserved for special occasions like festivals and public holidays in order to increase the viewership and TRPs, are also being increasingly used in recent times. Team Naam Iruvar Namakku Iruvar had over 30 new episodes in stock and hence, managed to air new episodes during the recent lockdown. “When we come up with scripts for upcoming episodes, we take the number of technicians on board into account since a small crew limits our ability to shoot elaborate sequences outdoors.” The director of Star Vijay’s Naam Iruvar Namakku Iruvar, Thai Selvam, points out that the makers have decided to cut down the number of technicians in the crew. Her scenes were shot over phone or video calls," he says. “Post childbirth, she needed time to recover. Sharing one such instance, David Solomon recounts that actor Hema Rajkumar, who appears in the role of Meena Jeevanandham in Pandian Stores, opted to shoot sequences from her home. The resolution of the video seems different in comparison to other sequences from the same show,” suggests Janaki Kathiresan, a 50-year-old homemaker, who is an avid television viewer. We are also increasingly seeing scenes shot from terraces or apartments. “Many scenes are based on video and phone calls. Following the trend set by one-shot films and shows, a number of serial actors, too, have chosen to shoot scenes from the comfort of their homes. With the prevailing COVID-19 restrictions, makers have not just made changes to the serials’ narration and plots but also changed conventional shooting methods. All of us are trying our best to follow safety protocols during shoots since we do not have the option of working from home.” Speaking about how the crew has been adapting to the pandemic and the changes she has been noticing on the sets since last year, actor Gabrella Sellus, who plays the titular role in Sun TV’s popular show Sundari, tells TNM, “When I was unwell and couldn’t attend the shoot for a while, the focus was shifted to other characters and their sub-plots. A few other serials like Sun TV’s Sundari and Vijay TV’s Pandian Stores were re-telecasting older episodes until the lockdown was lifted. In many serials, including Sun TV’s Kannana Kanne, some characters went ‘missing’ and new characters were introduced to extend the plot in a different direction. While the top-rated shows continued to telecast new episodes, multiple serials on Vijay TV like Raja Paarvai, Senthoora Poove and Velaikkaran went off air for more than 10 days during the recent lockdown in the months of May and June. TNM spoke to television actors, directors as well as viewers of Tamil daily serials to look at the changes that have been incorporated in serials’ plots and production to ensure that new episodes are filmed and broadcasted during the pandemic.
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While movies, web series and short films are presented with the choice of either waiting for theatrical release or going the OTT way, television serials, which are broadcasted on a daily basis, have struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic. With lockdown restrictions in place due to the second wave of coronavirus, the production of several movies and shootings had to be halted.