Latest news with #FEFSI
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Choreographer Dinesh accused of misusing ₹35 lakh; he refutes the allegations
Dinesh is allegedly said to have been resorting to violence when members of the Cine Dancers and Dance Directors Association (TANTTNNIS) confronted him regarding the non-payment of dues. Choreographer Dinesh has been accused of misconduct and embezzlement of 35 lakh. The amount, in particular, was reportedly promised for freelance dancers who worked with him in the song Naa Ready from Vijay's Leo. Dinesh is allegedly said to have been resorting to violence when members of the Cine Dancers and Dance Directors Association (TANTTNNIS) confronted him regarding the non-payment of dues. It is also being reported that Dinesh assaulted a member of the union. What happened? The non-payment issue is said to have come to light when a dancer approached Leo 's production house and claimed that they weren't paid, months after the song was shot. The studio clarified that the payment had been routed through the dancers' union. Shortly after, president of Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI), RK Selvamani stated that the dues had been cleared. Dinesh reportedly hired over 1,000 additional freelancers for the shoot since TANTTNNIS only had 600 registered members. Reportedly, the production company disbursed ₹94.60 lakh to the union dancers, and the freelancers were earmarked a sum of ₹10,500 each, which, they say, hasn't reached them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Dinesh's clarification… Addressing the media, Dinesh clarified, 'FEFSI and Producers' Council together fixed an amount to pay those who aren't part of the dancers union. We gave the (freelance) dancers' bank account list to producers, who directly credited the amount to their account. I don't know what went wrong after that.' ' Leo came out in 2023 and, in every (dancers) union election, this has been brought up,' said Dinesh, who holds an official post in the union. Acknowledging that an altercation did indeed happen, Dinesh added, 'A Canadian choreographer used to send me voice notes in WhatsApp stating that I'm an unfit president of the union. It affected me because I think I'm fit for this position.' He added that the video of his altercation that's doing the rounds on social media is sped up and heavily edited. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce thanks TN CM for reducing Local Body Entertainment Tax
The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin for accepting its request to reduce the Local Body Entertainment Tax on films from eight per cent to four per cent. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a statement that it issued on Tuesday, the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce said that reduction of the Local Body had long been a consistent plea from the Tamil film industry and that it took the initiative to bring this matter to the attention of the government. Pointing out that Chief Minister had now reduced the tax from 8 per cent to four per cent, the SIFCC said that it sincerely thanked Chief Minister M K Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister , and Minister for Information and Publicity M.P. Saminathan. "This decision by the Tamil Nadu Government stands as a great boon to the Tamil film industry. There is no doubt that this move will further the growth and strengthen the position of Tamil cinema. Therefore, once again, on behalf of the entire Tamil film industry, we extend our sincere thanks to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu," it said. Debate: Bollywood extravaganza in a huge fix The decision to slash the Local Body Entertainment Tax, which comes in response to long-standing appeals from the film fraternity, has been widely welcomed by producers, distributors, and industry bodies. Each year, more than 1,000 films are released across Tamil Nadu, and the eight per cent entertainment tax - added on top of the GST- was often cited as a burden, especially for small and medium-budget films. Members of the industry have repeatedly pointed out that the high tax structure was adversely affecting their ability to recover production and distribution costs, particularly in the case of low-budget ventures. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Now, the state government's move to halve the tax is being hailed as a timely relief. The Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for heeding the industry's plea. In a statement, FEFSI said that the reduction would help revive the struggling sector and provide much-needed encouragement to smaller filmmakers. However, theatre owners have expressed a more measured response. Tirupur Subramaniam, a leading distributor, theatre owner, and former president of the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners and Exhibitors' Association, welcomed the government's intent but clarified that the reduction in entertainment tax would not lead to any cut in ticket price.
India Today
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Movie ticket prices to reduce in Tamil Nadu ahead of Thug Life release. Here's how
The Tamil Nadu government slashed the Local Bodies Entertainment Tax (LBET) from 8.6 per cent to 4 per cent. This move comes after Kamal Haasan appealed to the government, emphasising the struggles that the Tamil film industry is going through. This order will come to fruition ahead of the release of 'Thug Life', which will hit theatres on June Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) thanked and expressed their gratitude to MK Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. They also thanked Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Minister for Tamil Development and Information Thiru MP actor-producer Kamal Haasan appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to cut down on the tax, while stressing the financial struggles faced by the Tamil film industry in recent times, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. The revised order, which was issued under the Tamil Nadu Local Authorities Entertainments Tax Act, 2017, will be reflected in the ticket pricing. Earlier, local body tax was priced at 8.6 per move is expected to increase footfall in theatres and reduce the pressure that producers and exhibitors have been facing. The film industry has been struggling financially due to rising production producers and distributors welcomed this decision and expressed their relief. This move will help Kamal Haasan's upcoming film, 'Thug Life,' directed by Mani Ratnam and upcoming movies in the state.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
RK Selvamani SLAMS star managers: 'Cinema is failing because assistants hear scripts'
At the grand audio and trailer launch of the upcoming horror-comedy Jinn – The Bat, veteran filmmaker and FEFSI president RK Selvamani voiced strong concerns about the current state of the film industry . The event, held in Chennai, brought together a host of industry veterans including Justice S.K. Krishnan, retired IPS officer Panneerselvam, producer K.R., and directors R.V. Udayakumar and Perarasu. Selvamani Takes Aim at Rising Trend Among Stars Using the platform to address what he sees as a critical issue, Selvamani criticised the growing reliance on star managers and assistants to listen to scripts on behalf of actors. 'Cinema is failing because assistants hear scripts,' he stated, urging upcoming actors to engage directly with directors and writers. He stressed that this growing disconnect between actors and creators is undermining creative collaboration and weakening relationships within the industry. 'Lack of Respect Leads to Failure' Drawing from personal experience, Selvamani explained that the absence of mutual respect and direct communication often leads to creative breakdowns. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo 'When there is no friendship or mutual respect between a film's lead and its director, the project is bound to suffer,' he warned, encouraging a return to more transparent and respectful working relationships. Highlighting Producers' Struggles Selvamani also spotlighted the financial hardships faced by film producers. Despite theatres reportedly selling 7–8 lakh tickets daily and generating around ₹2 crore, producers, he said, see little of this revenue. Citing Madha Gaja Raja as an example of unrecovered earnings, he called on the Producers' Council to take action and negotiate better rights and revenue-sharing models to protect producers' interests. About Jinn – The Bat Directed by D.R. Bala, Jinn – The Bat stars Mugen Rao and features a diverse ensemble cast including Pavya Darisha, Radha Ravi , Bala Saravanan , Imman Annachi, and others. With cinematography by Arjun Raja and music by the Vivek-Mervin duo, the film blends horror and humour and is slated for release on May 30. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Producers Council vs FEFSI: Madras High Court grants time for response in ongoing dispute
The Madras High Court has intervened in an escalating conflict between the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) and the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI), granting time for the latter to respond to legal proceedings. The case stems from FEFSI 's alleged refusal to cooperate in ongoing film shoots and production activities involving TFPC members. This unexpected standoff has disrupted numerous film projects across Tamil Nadu, raising concerns within the industry about the impact on schedules and finances. Operation Sindoor 'Pakistan army moving its troops in forward areas': Key takeaways from govt briefing 'Pak used drones, long-range weapons, jets to attack India's military sites' 'Attempted malicious misinformation campaign': Govt calls out Pakistan's propaganda New union emerges, FEFSI issues directive against cooperation In its petition, TFPC claimed that a group of technicians had launched a rival organization under the name Tamil Nadu Film Workers Federation , purportedly to oppose FEFSI's dominance. The Producers Council clarified that it had no ties with the new federation. Following this development, FEFSI issued a directive on April 2, advising its members not to work on films associated with TFPC. This move, according to producers, was aimed at creating pressure and curbing independent decision-making among film workers. Producers claim losses, demand uninterrupted film work The TFPC argued that FEFSI's actions violated prior contractual obligations and severely impacted the film industry's functioning. The sudden halt in production from April 8 led to major financial setbacks, with some projects stalled indefinitely. The Council urged the court to issue a directive ensuring that production work be allowed to proceed smoothly, and sought an injunction restraining FEFSI from further interference. They stressed that continued obstruction would not only damage the industry's economy but also affect thousands of workers relying on daily wages. Court postpones hearing, grants time for FEFSI's reply As per News 18, the petition came up for hearing before Justice N. Mala, where legal representatives for FEFSI requested additional time to prepare their response. Taking their request into consideration, the judge granted time for all involved unions to file their replies. The next hearing has been scheduled for June 4, and industry stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the court's directions to resolve the deadlock and resume normalcy in Tamil film production.
