Director Bharathiraja requests actors and technicians to take a pay cut of 30-50 % in the remuneration

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and entertainment industry has been the one most affected ad its adverse impact of the crisis would take a few months to recover. Many of the producers are stuck not knowing how to finish half-halted films. In this situation, the current Producers’ Association President Bharathiraja has issued a statement requesting the Tamil film industry actors to voluntarily reduce their remuneration to alleviate the grief of the producers.

The statement issued by Bharathiraja is as follows:

“Relaxations were announced and everyone is back to the shooting spot. Everyone is working safely. One’s negligence affects the well-being of all. So realize and safely adhere to the social distancing norms and work. The entertainment industry will recover soon. Our country will also recover from the pandemic. We must support each other in the process of recovery.

Right from the time the pandemic has hit the country filming of several films have been halted halfway and the work of bringing them to the screen has to be resumed. To start with that, our actors and technicians have to keep in mind. The producers have already invested money on the projects. The increase in interest is an irreversible burden on the producer. Also, the rest of the shooting has to be completed and wrapped up. It seems certain that the producers will lose 50%. Realising this difficult situation for the producers, some actors have already promised to cut their remuneration by 30 per cent. I take this moment to praise them, isn’t it the duty of all actors and technicians to give the producers a shoulder in this situation?

You know that all the actors and technicians in the Telugu and Malayalam film industry have voluntarily given up 30 to 50 per cent of their salaries. Shouldn’t this also happen in Tamil cinema, the forerunner of all these? As the president of Tamil Active producers council, I urge actors and technicians earning more than Rs. 10 Lakhs to volunteerly take a pay cut of a minimum of 30% reduction in their remuneration and complete the remaining schedule and wrap up the shoot smoothly. 

This request no longer applies to the films which is yet to be kickstarted. It’s going to work if you mutually agree on your salaries. But, I ask you to give your contribution to the films that are in the verge of completion, and volunteer to give up 30% of the salary and help revive the world of cinema. If the producers feel good, you can all earn anytime.

Let’s raise our hands again. We will keep the cinema and the producers alive.”