Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) Vs Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC)

FEFSI Strike ends in suspension of shooting of a film

The strike indulged in by workers and employees affiliated to the various film-related bodies coming under FEFSI have had its first toll. The day-long shooting schedule of an upcoming film had to be called off due to the strike by the workers, who are demanding multi-fold increase in the wages that they have been getting at present.

The fee-hike demanded by the workers/employees of FEFSI is presently being discussed in various meetings between the FEFSI and the film producers. A decision hasn’t been reached so far in this regard. Meanwhile, the shooting of an upcoming film titled ‘Ponmaali Pozhudhu’, which was going on in Bangalore, had to be called off as the workers indulged in a ‘flash strike’ in support of their demands.  

The film marks the debut as hero of Aadhav Kannadasan. The surname is a give-away: yes, Aadhav is the grandson of the late and legendary lyricist Kannadasan. The film is directed by A.C. Durai and the Unit had been shooting in Bangalore for the past few days.

The sudden strike caught the technicians and the director unawares as the workers and employees said that they would return to work only if the wages recommended by FEFSI are implemented at once. The shooting has been suspended and the crew has since returned to Chennai pending disposal of the issue by the FEFSI management and the film producers’ association.
The major demand is that the daily wages, which is in the range of Rs.350-Rs.500, should be increased to Rs.2,000/-.