As Workers’ Strike Intensifies In Telugu Industry, Film Chamber Issues Advisory

The Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce released a directive this week, in response to the strike called by unions that operate under the Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation.

In the strict directive, the Chamber had advised against any negotiations with the striking unions until further notice, according to a report in Deccan Chronicle. The note also reiterated the need of the hour to remain unified as a group of producers, studios and other sectors. It has also asked studios and outdoor units to avoid supplying services without prior notification and approval. 

Megastar Chiranjeevi took to X to clear his stand on the ongoing issue. He wrote, “It has come to my attention that some individuals claiming to be the members of the Film Federation have gone to media falsely claiming that I have met them and given an assurance that their demands regarding  30% wage hike etc.,  shall be met and that I will be starting shooting very soon. I wish to set the record straight that I have not met anyone from the federation. This is an industry issue, and no individual including me can give any unilateral assurances to solve any problem one way or the other. The Film Chamber is the apex body of the Telugu Film Industry, and only the Film Chamber as a collective will engage in discussions with all concerned and arrive at a just solution. Until such time, making such false claims is unacceptable. I condemn all such baseless and motivated claims to create confusion among all stakeholders.” (SIC)

Demanding an immediate salary hike of 30 per cent, the Telugu Film Industry Employees’ Federation or TFIEF, had called for a strike which has brought to a halt all films shoot in the two Telugu states, including movies and web series. The TFIEF includes 24 categories or crafts of employees and workers in the Telugu cinema industry, consisting of both technical crew and production staff.