Chennai, Aug 24:
The Federation of Film Employees’ Federation of South India (FEFSI) has urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay to immediately intervene and hold talks with stakeholders to avert the proposed shutdown of the Tamil film industry from September 1.
Speaking to reporters at Vadapalani in Chennai, FEFSI president R.K. Selvamani said the federation understood the financial difficulties and challenges being faced by film producers. However, he stressed that a complete stoppage of film shootings and other production-related activities would directly affect thousands of workers.
Producer associations have announced that all film-related activities, including shootings, will be suspended from September 1. FEFSI has appealed to them to reconsider the decision, warning that nearly 10,000 film workers could lose their livelihood if the shutdown goes ahead.
The stoppage could also have a wider economic impact on the industry, with losses estimated at up to Rs 500 crore, FEFSI said.
Selvamani maintained that strikes cannot be the solution every time the industry faces a crisis. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to convene immediate tripartite talks involving producer associations, theatre owners and workers’ organisations.
He also called for the government to ensure that decisions reached during the talks are implemented within a clearly defined timeframe and properly monitored, noting that agreements reached during earlier negotiations had not always been fully executed.
Urging Chief Minister Vijay to personally invite representatives of the Tamil film industry for discussions, FEFSI said a peaceful and lasting solution was essential to protect both the future of the industry and the livelihoods of thousands of workers.