CHENNAI: Office-bearers of South Indian Film Artistes Association, including its president actor Nasser, Ponvannan and Kovai Sarala called on Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday and put forth demands for the welfare of elderly theatre personalities and film artistes. They also thanked the Chief Minister for the announcement that the birth anniversary of the late actor Sivaji Ganesan would be celebrated by the State government.
Talking to reporters at the Secretariat, the office-bearers said they also thanked the Chief Minister for doubling the financial assistance being given to drama artistes who perform at government exhibitions.
“Tamil film industry is over a century old and birth centenaries of many veteran artistes fall every year. This year is the centenary of actor Ranga Rao. Actor Balaiah’s birth centenary fell last year. The government can extend financial aid to the legal heirs of the late actors, if they are in a poor economic condition,” office-bearers said.
They said the government should provide free bus passes to drama artistes who had enacted dramas written by Sankaradas Swamigal. Government must build halls for theatre artistes at Tiruchy and Pudukottai in memory of superstars of early cinema - MK Thiagaraja Bhagavathar and PU Chinnappa.
Equipment inaugurated
Chennai: Edappadi K Palaniswami inaugurated equipment used for repairing cylinders at unit-II of Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited, Tiruchy through video conferencing. Arelease said that in 2016 the then CM J Jayalalithaa had made an announcement that equipment for repairing cylinders will be inaugurated.