Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, on Wednesday, opened up about being stranded in a desert camp in Jordan amid the coronavirus lockdown. He is part of the 58-member crew of film Aadujeevitham , that got caught up in Jordan while shooting for the film.
He revealed that due to present conditions, their shooting permission was revoked on March 27. “Following that, our team has been staying at the desert camp in Wadi Rum. We have now been told that an immediate permission for 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,” he wrote.
He added that since the initial plan was to shoot till second week of April, their food and other supplies will last for the immediate future. But what will happen after that timeline is a matter of concern, the actor added.
Prithviraj revealed that there is a doctor in the team, and that their health is being regularly monitored. “We have a doctor in our team who’s carrying out medical check ups for each member of the crew every 72 hours, and we are also subjected to periodic check ups by a govt appointed Jordanian doctor,” he wrote.
He further added: “We completely understand that given the circumstances around the world, our team of 58 might not be the biggest concern of authorities back home now, and rightfully so. But we also felt that it was our duty to let all concerned knows about the situation and keep them updated. There are thousands of Indians around the world waiting to get back home and we hope when the appropriate time and opportunity arrives, we are also able to come back to India. Till then, I hope all of you stay safe and let’s collectively hope and pray that life gets back to normal soon.”
After Prithviraj shared the long post, fans and other celebrities have been commenting, wishing him well. Actor Dulquer Salmaan wrote: “Stay safe and stay strong prithvi. You and the team ! Praying for all of you to reach home at the earliest and as safely as possible. This is unfortunate and worrrying. Especially food and supplies running out. Hope everything gets sorted ASAP !”
Earlier this week, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed the NORKA principal secretary to notify the Indian embassy at Jordan about the situation. The embassy had contacted the filmmakers and enquired about the well-being of the crew.
The actor had undergone major physical transformation—shedding almost 30kg and growing a long beard—to essay the role of the protagonist in the film. The photos of his new look had gone viral on social media.
Aadujeevitham is based on Benyamin’s book by the same name.
