Actor Prithviraj and Film Crew Stuck in Jordan amid Coronavirus, Seek Evacuation

Top Kerala actor Prithviraj and award-winning director Blessy along with 56 other members of the crew are stuck in Jordan after the shooting of their movie was stopped following restrictions in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. 

The team has sought help to return back home. Blessy contacted the Kerala Film Chamber, asking to take up the case with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. A chamber official Anil Thomas said the email sent by the director has been forwarded to various lawmakers, including Malayalam superstar turned Rajya Sabha member Suresh Gopi.

Prithviraj too took to social media to narrate the incident in a long note.

He wrote: “Hello all. Hope everyone is holding up and doing their best to stay safe during these tough times On 24/03/2020, the shooting of Aadujeevitham in Jordan was temporarily stopped due to the prevailing circumstances. But after an appraisal of our situation, the authorities were convinced that our unit was isolated and operating safely within the confines of the Wadi Rum desert and we were given a go-ahead for the shoot. Unfortunately, soon after, the prevailing restrictions in Jordan had to be further strengthened as a precautionary measure and as a result, our shoot permission was revoked on 27/03/2020 (he corrected it in his post caption). Following that, our team has been staying at the desert camp in Wadi Ram.

We have now been told that immediate permission for the shoot to resume is unlikely due to the situation and hence, our next best option would be to return to India at the first available opportunity.”

The actor informed that there are provisions till the second week of April, but what would happen after that is a matter of concern. He also said that while there were far more pressing concerns for the authorities to look into, it was their duty to keep them informed. There were thousands of Indians waiting to return home, he added.

One of the costliest Malayalam film ‘Aadujeevitham’ is based on the award-winning eponymous Malayalam novel by Benyamin.