Actor Prithviraj along with film crew stuck in Jordan desert camp, seeks Indian authorities' help for return

A Malayalam film crew of 58 people including actor Prithviraj and director Blessy is stuck in Jordan where they were shooting for a project titled 'Aadujeevitham' owing to the measures taken to counter the spread of novel coronavirus.

The shooting of the film directed by award-winning director Blessy was stalled and the crew are held up at Wadi Rum (Valley of the Moon) in the south of Joran.

The crew has sought assistance from Indian authorities for their safe return.

In a Facebook post, Prithviraj confirmed the developments and narrated the sequence of events at the desert after Jordanian authorities initiated steps to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

The shooting of 'Aadujeevitham' (Goat Days) in Jordan was temporarily stopped on March 24 due to the prevailing circumstances but the authorities gave a go-ahead for the shoot after they were convinced that the film unit was isolated and operating safely within the confines of the Wadi Rum



desert, Prithviraj said.

'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restrictions in Jordan had to be further strengthened as a precautionary measure and as a result, our shoot permission was revoked on March 27. Following that, our team has been staying at the desert camp in Wadi Rum,' he wrote.

He said the crew has now been told that immediate permission for the shoot to resume is unlikely due to the situation.

'... hence, our next best option would be to return to India at the first available opportunity. As we had originally planned to stay and shoot in Wadi Rum till the 2nd week of April, our accommodation, food and supplies are taken care of for the immediate future. But obviously, what happens beyond that timeline is a matter of concern,' Prithviraj said.

He said a doctor in their team is carrying out medical check-ups for every member of the crew every 72 hours, and they are also subjected to periodic checks by a government appointed Jordanian doctor.