Tamil Nadu producers body requests actors and technicians to take pay cut for films delayed due to COVID-19

Tamil Film Active Producers Association president Bharathirajaa on Monday appealed to actors and technicians of the fraternity to take a 30 per cent pay cut to allow film producers to restart the projects that were affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.Bharathirajaa said he was only requesting those actors and technicians who make Rs 10 lakh and above for a single project. He mentions that most films have found that their revenue sources- satellite rights, OTT and theatrical rights - have dried up due to the pandemic. He furthers adds that the situation is so dire that they are not even able to pay the interests on the loans they took to fund the projects. Read the statement here“In this situation, it is the responsibility of all actors and technicians to come forward and help the producers, whose films are under production and are stuck due to this lockdown. The producers can manage to come out of this trying condition and release their films smoothly, only if their total investment in films is reduced by at least 40 to 50%. Only then, even if their films do not fetch big revenues, they can come out without much loss,” Bharathiraja said in the letter.Bharathirajaa said that this request is only for films stuck in production and not for new films that are going to be signed in future, writes The Hindu.He said, "We are making this request only for the films which were under production and are stuck due to Covid-19 and not for new films, which you are signing and commencing, for which you and the Producers may decide on appropriate remuneration".The filmmaker also cited examples of South film counterparts such as Malayalam film industry, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), who have also reached an agreement, where reportedly all their member actors and technicians have agreed to take a pay cut.