Tollywood Producers Hold Talks as Strike Disrupts Film Shoots
The high-level meeting was attended by industry heavyweights, including D. Suresh Babu, Dil Raju, Allu Aravind, and Ravi Shankar Yalamanchili. “We held detailed discussions on the issues raised by the federation. We want an amicable solution that works for both producers and workers,” said a producer, D Suresh Babu, who had to leave midway to attend the press meet of his upcoming film 'Coolie'
With the Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation initiating a strike on Monday, disrupting several film shootings, the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce convened an urgent meeting with leading producers to address the situation.
The high-level meeting was attended by industry heavyweights, including D. Suresh Babu, Dil Raju, Allu Aravind, and Ravi Shankar Yalamanchili. “We held detailed discussions on the issues raised by the federation. We want an amicable solution that works for both producers and workers,” said a producer, D Suresh Babu, who had to leave midway to attend the press meet of his upcoming film 'Coolie'.
However, he pointed out that the wages currently paid in Tollywood are already higher than those in Chennai and Kerala. “We are looking for a rationalised approach rather than implementing a flat 30% hike. For instance, a transport worker is currently earning nearly ₹1 lakh per month. The burden of revised wages may be manageable for big producers, but smaller producers might be forced out of the industry,” he added.
The Federation is demanding a 30% wage hike for both skilled and unskilled workers. This would raise the daily wage for unskilled workers from ₹1,400 to ₹1,820, and for skilled workers from ₹2,500 to ₹3,250. However, producers argue that such a hike is not feasible, given the financial strain the industry is currently under.
“We want to employ workers who contribute effectively to the production. The days of workers idling on sets while drawing full wages are over. We need accountability and will choose workers from the union accordingly to eliminate wasteful spending,” Suresh Babu stated.
He also criticized what he called “blackmail tactics” by the Federation. “They know big-ticket films are nearing release and are trying to halt production. This kind of arm-twisting is unfair,” he said.
Amid the strike, some workers reportedly gathered at Annapurna Studios in Jubilee Hills and attempted to stop the shooting of Ustaad Bhagat Singh, starring Pawan Kalyan. Rajeshwar Reddy, former president of the Federation, clarified, “ We received information that dancers from Mumbai were hired, which led to the protest. But when Pawan Kalyan garu arrived, he halted the shoot in support of local talent.”
He confirmed that the strike will continue indefinitely. “We are not backing down until our demands are met. This is not arm-twisting; it's about fair wages. Over 10,000 workers depend on this industry for their livelihood, and we have support from various sections of society. We are hopeful of a fair decision in favour of the work workforce in the next few meetings,” he said.
Further rounds of discussions between producers and union leaders are expected soon, as the impasse threatens to paralyze big-ticket movies like 'Raja Saab', 'PEDDI ', 'Dacoit,' Chiranjeevi film with Anil Ravipudi, Nani's The Paradise', and Balakrishna's 'Akhanda 2', among other big ones.