The film industry in the South is in for a big crisis with producers from the four states deciding to stop shoots of all new productions beginning September 7. The employees, who represent 24 ‘crafts' of the film industry, however are unfazed and asserted that there is no going back on their demand for hike in wages.

Representatives of producers, who have been discussing among themselves and with employees in the last few days in Chennai, have resolved to complete all the ongoing projects before October 31. “After that deadline, we are not going to cooperate with those producers who choose to shoot,” Mr Natti Kumar, Chairman of Producers Council, told Business Line over phone from Chennai.

“As an employer we have an inherent right to choose and employ any worker in any department and in any number of workers to suit our needs,” a representative of South India Film Chamber of Commerce said.

Major film projects in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam that are slated for Sankranti release might take a hit because of the ban on shoots.

Mr K. Venkateswarlu, President of Andhra Pradesh Film Employees Union, said wages had gone up by 30 per cent on an average across all the crafts after the two-month old strike. Mr Natti Kumar said that there was no agreement signed by both the parties.

Seeing the raise in wages in Andhra Pradesh, employees in other states too have started demanding a similar gesture in their respective languages. The chamber had engaged with both producers and Film Employees' Federation of South India (FEFSI) for the last two months.

The industry could not take the burden, the chamber said. It suggested that the Karnataka model, where wages were increased in the range of 10-28 per cent, was viable and could be replicated.

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