FEFSI Urges Tamil Film Producers to Reconsider September 1 Strike

The Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) has appealed to Tamil movie producers to reconsider their decision to halt all shooting and production activities from September 1, warning that the move would severely impact the livelihoods of thousands of daily-wage workers in Chennai and across the state.

In a formal appeal addressed to the Tamil Nadu government and producers' associations on Monday, the film workers' union urged the state administration to intervene immediately and convene tripartite talks to reach an amicable resolution.

The appeal comes after the Tamil Film Producers Council and the Tamil Film Active Producers Association recently announced plans to halt all film-related work, including new releases, starting September 1. The producers cited ongoing disputes with theatre owners and prevailing financial strains as the primary reasons behind their decision.

While acknowledging the financial challenges and grievances faced by the producers, FEFSI stated that the abrupt decision to stop ongoing shoots came as a major shock to the workforce. The federation pointed out that a shutdown directly impacts thousands of daily-wage workers and their families who depend entirely on regular employment for sustenance.

FEFSI emphasised that the film industry relies heavily on a vast network of personnel across multiple departments, including assistant directors, cinematographers, technicians, lightmen, set workers, makeup artists, and transport staff.

The union also recalled a 45-to-50-day industry strike in 2023, during which tripartite discussions took place under government supervision. FEFSI expressed concern that several key resolutions agreed upon during those negotiations remain unimplemented.

The federation cautioned that repeatedly halting shoots whenever disputes arise, without putting mechanisms in place to enforce agreed decisions, causes recurring disruption across the entire film ecosystem. FEFSI stated that strikes cannot serve as an immediate or viable solution to structural industry problems.

To resolve the standoff, FEFSI requested Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to step in and facilitate a tripartite meeting involving producers, theatre owners, and workers' unions. The federation also sought a time-bound action plan to implement long-term solutions while safeguarding the livelihoods of industry workers.