Posted:
FAMILY PROBLEMS
A week back i was shooting in pondicherry for an ayurvedic tonic which cures joint pains.I had the pleasure of meeting nasser who was shooting for the same and while his shots were being done i chatted up with a couple of lightmen and enquired about how the industry was doing.It took half an hour for both the guys to pour out the frustration and the very obvious desperation but the finished by saying that the end looked bleak and distant.Just then a couple of guys from another department walked in and were curious as to what the discussion was and then enquired about my opinion on the problem.
Well from the above lines you can understand on what context i am talking about and yes it is the ongoing strike which is crippling the tamil film industry.Techinicians from all the crafts on one side and the producers on one side and the directors and actors on whose side one wonders.
Just as the conversation was heating up into a debate i was rescued for my shot was ready and i had to do my thing.But the senior lightman said something which stuck with me and it is a comment which i have heard a thousand times before and that was "thalaivar uyiroda iruntha intha prachanai ellam varathu.ellam avar theerthu vecheiruparu".And this thalaivar they film workers talk about is none other than our late chief minister puratchi thalaivar MGR.I wondered what he could have done but then that was a different era and the film world was like a family.But in todays climate we film people have been reduced to run behind whoever is sitting in power.AJIT in his usual vein of bravado blurted about how actors were being hounded and threatened to attend functions whenever the former cm karunanidhi was the chief guest.This created a huge uproar and many leading actors forgot their false star titles and like children clapped with glee when ajit spoke those heroic words.
But rright now the family of tamil cinema is suffering and on the brink of civil war witht the producers council threatening to start their own workers council.Strong words yet harsh and now those prophetic words "thalaivar uyiroda iruntha intha prachanai ellam varathu.ellam avar theerthu vechiruparu" ring true for no leading star is taking the bull by horns or leading by example to sort out the problems in their house.
Will the two stars kamalhassan and rajinikanth stand up and be counted.
On one side the workers are asking for a wage revision which is done every three years and its going to be four and a half years and nothing has been revised.Just think about the inflation and how much the cost of everything has gone up.When me and my wife took up a flat in besantnagar we started with 2000 rs as rent and now are paying nearly 16,000 rs.The rent has really gone up in the lower middle class area for in the past 10 years chennai's population has gone through the roof with a steady influx of north indians,ten to twelve of who take up a flat where only two can stay and also don't mind paying double the rent.The house owner greedy for more money,not that one can blame him asks a small family to move out and welcomes the dozen or so immigrants who are now filling up,bakeries,hotels,saloons.I guess all this is besides the point but what will a film worker who makes between 6 to 7,000 supposed to do.pay 4,000 as rent and then live on the rest.mission impossible.And moreover getting a house in chennai when you say you are from the film field is damn nearly impossible.
So,is there a solution to the wage war going on in kollywood.I really hope so for thousands of workers depend on daily work and their daily wages and will truly suffer if a solution is not found quickly.
I sincerely feel that if all the leading film stars come together and sit down and discuss things like a family then peace will reign again.
Does anybody know the name of the person who carries the umbrella for the actors when it is hot and he stands there getting burnt.Does anybody know the name of the people who serve food for the entire unit,they who get up by four a.m and go to sleep at about 12.am.They who eat the last and sleep last.Does anybody know the name of the people who carry the lights and boards and sit in the open while the actors chill in the caravans.
I really wish the whole film family come together and discuss things openly and hopefully better the standards of cinema in general.
In 2011 nearly 110 films were released and out of that only 8 films made money for the producer and distributer.
Good cinema has been cast away and the bulk of the producers are going in for films which observe in detail an actresses navel and backside and mostly non-existent cleaveage.Sad that most of the audiences who see all those don't realise that they are all pads and silicone
.welcome to the field of maya.
A week back i was shooting in pondicherry for an ayurvedic tonic which cures joint pains.I had the pleasure of meeting nasser who was shooting for the same and while his shots were being done i chatted up with a couple of lightmen and enquired about how the industry was doing.It took half an hour for both the guys to pour out the frustration and the very obvious desperation but the finished by saying that the end looked bleak and distant.Just then a couple of guys from another department walked in and were curious as to what the discussion was and then enquired about my opinion on the problem.
Well from the above lines you can understand on what context i am talking about and yes it is the ongoing strike which is crippling the tamil film industry.Techinicians from all the crafts on one side and the producers on one side and the directors and actors on whose side one wonders.
Just as the conversation was heating up into a debate i was rescued for my shot was ready and i had to do my thing.But the senior lightman said something which stuck with me and it is a comment which i have heard a thousand times before and that was "thalaivar uyiroda iruntha intha prachanai ellam varathu.ellam avar theerthu vecheiruparu".And this thalaivar they film workers talk about is none other than our late chief minister puratchi thalaivar MGR.I wondered what he could have done but then that was a different era and the film world was like a family.But in todays climate we film people have been reduced to run behind whoever is sitting in power.AJIT in his usual vein of bravado blurted about how actors were being hounded and threatened to attend functions whenever the former cm karunanidhi was the chief guest.This created a huge uproar and many leading actors forgot their false star titles and like children clapped with glee when ajit spoke those heroic words.
But rright now the family of tamil cinema is suffering and on the brink of civil war witht the producers council threatening to start their own workers council.Strong words yet harsh and now those prophetic words "thalaivar uyiroda iruntha intha prachanai ellam varathu.ellam avar theerthu vechiruparu" ring true for no leading star is taking the bull by horns or leading by example to sort out the problems in their house.
Will the two stars kamalhassan and rajinikanth stand up and be counted.
On one side the workers are asking for a wage revision which is done every three years and its going to be four and a half years and nothing has been revised.Just think about the inflation and how much the cost of everything has gone up.When me and my wife took up a flat in besantnagar we started with 2000 rs as rent and now are paying nearly 16,000 rs.The rent has really gone up in the lower middle class area for in the past 10 years chennai's population has gone through the roof with a steady influx of north indians,ten to twelve of who take up a flat where only two can stay and also don't mind paying double the rent.The house owner greedy for more money,not that one can blame him asks a small family to move out and welcomes the dozen or so immigrants who are now filling up,bakeries,hotels,saloons.I guess all this is besides the point but what will a film worker who makes between 6 to 7,000 supposed to do.pay 4,000 as rent and then live on the rest.mission impossible.And moreover getting a house in chennai when you say you are from the film field is damn nearly impossible.
So,is there a solution to the wage war going on in kollywood.I really hope so for thousands of workers depend on daily work and their daily wages and will truly suffer if a solution is not found quickly.
I sincerely feel that if all the leading film stars come together and sit down and discuss things like a family then peace will reign again.
Does anybody know the name of the person who carries the umbrella for the actors when it is hot and he stands there getting burnt.Does anybody know the name of the people who serve food for the entire unit,they who get up by four a.m and go to sleep at about 12.am.They who eat the last and sleep last.Does anybody know the name of the people who carry the lights and boards and sit in the open while the actors chill in the caravans.
I really wish the whole film family come together and discuss things openly and hopefully better the standards of cinema in general.
In 2011 nearly 110 films were released and out of that only 8 films made money for the producer and distributer.
Good cinema has been cast away and the bulk of the producers are going in for films which observe in detail an actresses navel and backside and mostly non-existent cleaveage.Sad that most of the audiences who see all those don't realise that they are all pads and silicone
.welcome to the field of maya.
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