Film Producers Go To Andhra Pradesh And Telangana Government After 8 Days Of Shooting Strike

NDTV

21 hours ago

Producers from the Telugu film industry have met with cinematography ministers in both Andhra Pradesh and in Telangana, apparently in an effort to resolve a crisis sparked by an ongoing strike by film employees. The strike, now in its eighth day, has brought all film shoots to a halt, causing significant financial losses and delays to numerous projects.
The Telugu Film Industry Employees' Federation (TFIEF) initiated the strike, demanding a 30% wage hike, split as a 10% increase per year over three years. The union argues that wages have remained stagnant for three years despite a rising cost of living.
In response, the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce offered a conditional wage increase of 15-20% for lower-paid workers, with stipulations such as 12-hour workdays and more flexible hiring practices. However, the TFIEF rejected this offer, deepening the stalemate.
In Andhra Pradesh, a delegation of producers including BVSN Prasad, DVV Danayya, and KL Narayana met with Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh in Vijayawada. The producers said they had not come to discuss the federation employees strike but other issues related to the film industry's development in the state.
Kandula Durgesh said the government may not have a role in the strike that will have to be mutually resolved by the film producers and the federation. "I will pass on their message to the chief minister and deputy chief minister," he said.
According to reports, the producers did not directly discuss the workers' strike with the minister, stating that the Film Chamber and Federation would handle the matter. The delegation also requested an appointment with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan to discuss the industry's growth in Andhra Pradesh.
The Strike Has Intensified
In Hyderabad, a separate group of producers, including Telangana FDC Chairman Dil Raju, Gemini Kiran, and Home Secretary Ravi Gupta, met with Telangana Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy in Hyderabad. The discussion reportedly centered on the ongoing problems within the industry, particularly the employee strike. The Telangana minister has previously shown support for the workers' demand, saying there is a need to increase wages.
The strike has intensified the conflict between producers and the employees' federation. Producers argue that a 30% hike is unsustainable, especially for small-budget films, and comes at a time when the industry is already under financial strain from factors like declining theatre audiences and reduced OTT rights.
The Film Chamber has also accused the Federation of demanding excessively high membership fees, which they claim act as a barrier for new talent trying to enter the industry.
In response to the strike, the Chamber has instructed its members not to engage in separate negotiations with individual unions and has called for non-union professionals to work with them at mutually agreeable wages.