Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and 45 crew members of new film test positive for Covid

Shooting for Kumar’s new film has been halted indefinitely, while he has been admitted to hospital

File image: India’s Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has been taken to hospital (Getty Images)

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has been admitted to a hospital in Mumbai after testing positive for Covid-19, as the state where the Hindi film industry is based has found itself at the centre of a national second wave of infections.

As well as Kumar, on Monday it was announced that another 45 crew members from his new film Ram Setu have tested positive for the virus.

The actor took to Twitter to reassure his fans, writing: "Thank you, everyone, for all your warm wishes and prayers, they seem to be working.

“I am doing fine, but as a precautionary measure under medical advice, I have been hospitalised. I hope to be back home soon. Take care."

Shooting for the film was supposed to continue on Monday at a new location in Mumbai, where it was mandatory for the entire crew to get tested for Covid. During this screening process, out of over 100 people who were tested, 45 results came back positive.

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The film’s shoot has therefore been suspended indefinitely while everyone, including the lead actor, takes time to recuperate.

Kumar first announced he had tested positive on Sunday. “Following all the protocols, I have immediately isolated myself,” he wrote at the time. “I’m under home quarantine and have sought necessary medical care. I would sincerely request all those that have come in contact with me to get themselves tested and take care. Back in action very soon.”

The state of Maharashtra was placed under new lockdown measures on Monday, after it accounted for more than 57,000 of the country’s new 103,500 infections in the last 24 hours.

The state government declared new guidelines and limitations that incorporate night curfews and weekend lockdowns, as well as the closure of non-essential shops.

Despite this, TV and film crews have been permitted to conduct shooting even during weekends, as long as the whole crew has negative RT-PCR certificates and is working at a maximum of 33 per cent crew capacity.