CHENNAI: Despite the assurance of cooperation by Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI), shooting of atleast 11 Tamil films was called off on Tuesday, according to informed sources. The day’s shoot of films - including Suriya’s Maatan, Jiiva’s Mugamudi and Karthi’s Saguni - was cancelled as employees refused to work for the existing pay.
The Tamil Film Producers Council had earlier called off shooting on Monday in order to resolve the issue of revising remuneration of film employees.
One of the earliest films to pack up on Tuesday was Sundar C’s Masala Cafe, whose shooting was held in Gobichettipalayam, said the source. “No shooting will be held on Wednesday as well, as the issue is yet to be settled,” confirmed an office-bearer of the Tamil Film Producers Council, on condition of anonymity. FEFSI, however, has claimed that 26 Kollywood films were canned on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, FEFSI has reiterated its original stand over the hike for film employees, and asked for government intervention to resolve the issue. “We will protest till the producers take back their wrong remarks about FEFSI and enter into an agreement with us. But we will not resort to a strike,” FEFSI office bearers said.
“On Tuesday, shooting is in progress for 26 Tamil films including Red Giant Movies’ Neerparavai. We will not hinder the progress of the films but we want our employees to get the hike they deserve. No employees of our 23 film crafts would cooperate with a producer who has employed members from outside FEFSI even for one craft,” said secretary of FEFSI G Siva, on Tuesday morning. “The film industry should be brought under the supervision of an IAS officer to ensure a professional and fair resolution to the remuneration issue,” explained filmmaker Ameer, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Film Directors Association, which is part of FEFSI.
On Friday last, FEFSI had announced new remuneration for its employees, which peeved producers as they claimed they were not consulted. In turn, the Producers Council announced that they would henceforth not have agreements with FEFSI, the umbrella organisation of film crew.
FEFSI had proposed a hike of 50 per cent for daily wage employees earning less than `500, 35 to 40 per cent for those earning `500-1000, and 35 per cent for those earning over `1,000 a day, which producers have found unacceptable, rued a senior FEFSI office-bearer.