The Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) has appealed to Tamil film producers to reconsider their decision to halt all shooting and production activities from September 1, warning that the move could severely affect the livelihoods of thousands of daily-wage workers.
In a formal appeal to the Tamil Nadu government and producers' associations on Monday, FEFSI urged the state administration to intervene immediately and convene tripartite talks to resolve the dispute amicably.
The appeal comes after the Tamil Film Producers Council and the Tamil Film Active Producers Association announced plans to suspend all film-related activities, including new releases, from September 1. The producers cited disputes with theatre owners and ongoing financial pressures as the reasons for the decision.
While acknowledging the financial difficulties and legitimate concerns faced by producers, FEFSI said the abrupt halt to ongoing shoots had come as a ‘major shock’ to the workforce.
‘A halt in film shootings directly affects not just producers, but thousands of daily-wage workers and their families who depend entirely on daily employment for their sustenance,’ the federation said.
FEFSI highlighted the industry's dependence on a vast network of workers across various departments, including assistant directors, cinematographers, technicians, lightmen, set workers, make-up artists and transport personnel.
Recalling the 45-to-50-day industry strike in 2023, during which tripartite talks were held under government supervision, FEFSI expressed concern that several key resolutions reached at the time remain unimplemented.
The federation warned that repeatedly halting film shoots whenever disputes arise, without establishing an effective mechanism to implement agreed decisions, would cause recurring disruption across the entire film industry.
FEFSI said strikes could not provide an immediate or sustainable solution to structural problems and called on Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to intervene and facilitate a tripartite meeting involving producers, theatre owners and workers' unions.
It also sought a time-bound action plan to implement long-term solutions while protecting the livelihoods of film workers.
(With inputs from PTI)