I am scared to shoot, have a newborn niece Aayat and old parents at home: Bigg Boss 14 host Salman Khan on shooting during pandemic

After the immense success of season 13, controversial reality show Bigg Boss is all set to return with a new season. The makers of the show recently organised a virtual press conference with the media and host Salman Khan revealed the look and theme of the show. During the press conference, the Bharat actor revealed his lockdown routine and also spoke about apprehensions of shooting during the lockdown.

Like everyone else even I was playing Bigg Boss in my house and have not stepped out of my house during the last six months. Today is the first time that I am shooting. Whatever little bit of social media post I had to do I did from my farm house. I was at the farm. In Mumbai, I live on the first floor and my parents stay on the ground floor so just to be safe I stayed at my farm. We had gone to Panvel, my farm house before the lockdown and got stuck there. Thank God it's a huge space there which my father had bought some 30 years ago and I am luckily that it is now coming to use. By the grace of God I was there and even there we had the pressure of work not resuming. It was quite stressful. (Photo: Instagram)

I don't go to watch movies at the theatre whether it is during lockdown or otherwise because If I go to theatres it gets crowded. It happens at hospitals also, I prefer not to go there as people forget their loved ones and start running after me. The only time I go to hospitals is to bring a smile on a child's face as I am associated with the NGOs which work for cancer patients. (Photo: Instagram)

I am scared to be on shoot. Though everyone is taking all the precautions and are wearing PPE kits, masks, gloves but the mic they adjust so close and they come so close that it feels they will kiss any moment. I am scared of cold, coughs and even kisses these days. (Photo: Instagram)

Yes, I was apprehensive to shoot the show because there is a newborn in the house. My sister Arpita and Aayush's daughter Aayat my niece and then there are my parents and Helen aunty. There are also other senior citizens in the family and friends. The thought is if we get infected we will manage but when it comes to parents and kids I get scared. Apne liye darr nahi lagta jitna apne waalon ke liye lagta hai...If you are staying away and then returning home and hugging your mother and by mistake you transfer the virus then it gets scary. I know they will survive but the discomfort of 15 days and health issues that they will have to go through that is scary. You can't fight an enemy whom you can't see. The coronavirus pandemic has shut down the entire world. (Photo: Instagram)

There is another way to look at it. If they are Bigg Boss fans and are bored of life in lockdown, their minds will get diverted to this. Once the show goes on-air the audience will start having their favourites. Few will go against me, there will also be people who will support me. There are many fans who get attached to the contestants and get carried away. There will be rivalry on social media for contestants but I hope all this is in the limit and fans don't use bad language. (Photo: Instagram)

I feel the 15/16 contestants who are going inside must be happy that they are getting work. There are not many jobs available in the market and even if people are getting work they are getting infected from COVID. So, the work is getting worse. The people who are going inside will be first quarantined and then sent in. They will be safe inside and can do anything. People who are working outside will have to be very careful. But I am very happy that a show like Bigg Boss is giving employment to so many people. I also know people are waiting to watch season 14. (Photo: Instagram)

We all need to work jitna kaam hoga utni unnati hogi aur GDP badhega. You have to be very careful but work otherwise there will be financial issues. (Photo: Instagram)

What all you guys did Asim, Shehnaz, Vishal, Madhurima, the credit of the success of the show goes to its contestants. The show did so well and loved the contestants because you all were good. I hope the next season goes well but it's difficult to compete with you guys. I hope they compete with you all and do a much better show than Bigg Boss 13. I see Bigg Boss 14 as an employment opportunity and it is the answer to 2020 from us. (Photo: Instagram)

The people who like you should like you even more, the people who don't like you should start liking you. Jitne kum dushman utne sukoon se rahoge aap. It has always been about work for me. My biggest frustration is that for the last six months I have not been working. In my 30 years long career I have not taken a big break or holiday like this but with lockdown I had to forcefully take a leave. Since the time my first film Maine Pyaar Kiya came out I started working and respected my work. This was a forceful holiday. Earlier, I would only take holidays from December 25 to January 1st. Since last 10-12 years Bigg Boss came and I worked during that time also and I am not complaining. I am happy doing it. So, now just calculate I would just take 10 days leave in the entire year and now I have not worked for the entire 6 months. Before MPK it was whether I will get work or not. I always remember the time when I was clueless about my future. I keep telling people there is nothing better than good, honest work. You should treat your job as your hobby and you will enjoy it. (Photo: Instagram)

The biggest writers of the world can't write scripts for Bigg Boss. Every second emotion, loyalties change on the show. Contestants laugh, cry or fight during tasks and it is impossible to script a show like this. It is natural. You can't ask Sidharth Shukla, Gauahar Khan, Shehnaz Gill or Hina Khan to behave according to your script. This is their personality which you like while you are watching the show. (Photo: Instagram)