Hyderabad: Talks between the Film Federation leaders and the Film Chamber ended without agreement. Federation president Vallabhaneni Anil Kumar announced that workers would return to shooting only if their wages rose by 30%.
Anil Kumar dismissed the producers’ offer of a percentage-based raise. He said they were willing to accept most producer conditions over time, but insisted that the wage increase should apply equally to all unions. He accused producers of trying to divide some unions, which the federation opposes.
The federation stressed the importance of unity among all unions in this wage dispute. They plan to protest on Sunday at 8:30 a.m., demanding fair and equal wage increases before resuming production.
Earlier, the Active Producers’ Guild ruled out a 30% wage increase for film workers, offering only a 15% to 20% raise in the first year.
A media briefing on Saturday included guild members like Mythri Naveen, Vishwaprasad, Nagavamsi, Sudhakar Cherukuri, Radhamohan, Sahu Garapati, SKN, Bapineedu, and Cherry. They discussed wage demands from film workers and producer conditions.
Producer Cherry noted that workers requested a 30% raise, but producers found it too high. They suggested a tiered increase. Workers earning below Rs 2,000 per day would get a 15% raise in the first year, and 5% each in the following two years.
Cherry highlighted that four specific conditions were set, and they now demand strict adherence.
Damodar, secretary of the Film Chamber, proposed a different structure: for those under Rs 2,000, a 15% first-year increase, 5% in the second and third years. For workers earning below Rs 1,000, a 20% increase in the first year, no raise in the second, and 5% in the third.
The Film Federation has not agreed to the producers’ conditions, especially linking wage hikes to these conditions.
Producers stated that small-budget films would maintain current wages, but the Federation should still implement the four agreed conditions.
The deadlock reflects ongoing tension between fair worker pay and financial pressures on producers, especially in smaller projects. Discussions continue, but a solution is still out of reach.
