Covid19 2.0: Adaptations Made Were Purely Intended to be Temporary – Nazeef Mohammed

by  Komal Darji Industry Watch | April 26, 2021 | Feature

Nazeef Mohammed BTOS Productions

Just as in-person events were limping back, there has been a fresh Covid19 wave and attendant restrictions are in place in different parts of India. EVENTFAQS Media reached out to industry stakeholders to get their view of the current situation and understand their approach to it.

We asked: Is the event industry better prepared now to face the challenge, than it was a year ago? Is there a case for government assistance to the event industry? What should the industry seek?

Here is what Nazeef Mohammed, Founder Director, BToS had to say:

“While the existence of Covid itself feels very familiar because it has lasted with us for more than a year,  all of the adaptations made by our industry were purely intended to be temporary, for survival and continuity. The innovative virtual experiences, nonetheless, have made us think out of the box and in hindsight kept us prepared with a possible new skillset. But over the course of the last few months, the ‘virtual’ experiences also got skimmed to mere ‘cost-based’ competition where experiential elements were nullified and mere jockeying was glorified!”

“We need to bring back our events for us to survive. The playground has to be real. Metaphorically speaking, it’s like playing a sport on video game versus playing it in real or watching a cookery video versus eating the meal. I can go on. Innovation will always be innate for our industry folks, creative challenges will always be welcome and resilience always showcased. But where are we headed? How do we deal with overheads? Our seniors must lead the way for us youngsters to follow!”

“We have never really stood with begging bowls as an industry at large, rather, we have been that industry that has raised funds for every occasion, calamity or downfall. We also run our firms with passion and effervescence. So we have never really been given any assistance from the Government so far. Although I know members of the coveted association of EEMA are taking baby steps towards getting recognised and hence receiving help.”

“Our industry is actually in need of funds. We need to receive money to survive and run our existing setups, so we can be prepared for the season to pass by without significant work presumably and to retain our colleagues, employees and contractors. The Government MUST realise the drowning whirlwind we are in and offer direct help.”