CHENNAI: Kodambakkam was hotter by few degrees as producers are all set to streamline Tamil film industry with stringent remuneration norms for actors in above mid and high-budgeted films. They see this as a way to cut costs as they need actors to cooperate with revenue-sharing methods going ahead. Tamil Film Producers’ Council (TFPC), Tamil Film Active Producers’ Association (TFAPA), Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) and South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA) refrained from working on Saturday with SIAA on a different page from rest of the bodies.
Should be discussed between a producer and an actor. But this cannot be imposed as a rule–Vishal,
Veteran producer and Founding Member of TFAPA, T Siva says, “This token strike is the beginning of many things to come in future, which will benefit several producers in Tamil cinema industry.” The producer recalls how many of his colleagues have incurred profits by collaborating with huge stars in the past. “Hardly any. It is a different ball game when an actor signs a film for another producer. They charge exorbitant salaries. But when an actor produces a film under his banner, they make it on a shoestring budget. We are all set to streamline this. The industry is set to become a better place. Let actors charge 50 per cent and rest can be a profit sharing method if they believe in the content they have chosen,” he adds.
RK Suresh, a producer, actor and a distributor, also the vice-president of TFPC cites several examples and told us how Hindi actors agreed to revenue-sharing basis after a strike and how Malayalam cinema thrives. “A star like Mammootty takes one part of remuneration and another part of his salary for overseas distribution. No highly-paid actor in the Tamil industry does this. I haven’t produced or distributed a film in the last few years because I don’t see it viable anymore. I became an actor only after I produced and distributed films. I know how difficult it is to make a film. If the industry leans towards content, we don’t need stars to act in them and pay them huge money. With digital sales and satellite sales going down, why should stars be paid sky high salaries?” he fumes.
Vishal Krishna, an actor and a producer himself, the general secretary of Nadigar Sangam aka SIAA doesn’t see the token strike as a solution to arm twist actors into entering the profit-sharing model. “How is it possible for us to decide on behalf of all actors?” He says that this isn’t applicable to every actor. “It should be discussed between a producer and an actor of a film. That is all. But this cannot be imposed as a rule.”
T Siva says that rules will be imposed in such a way that there will be no back end dealing between producers and actors, starting in near future. “The production council bodies will come up with measures that will keep a watch on this. If revenue sharing comes into force, actors will by default start promoting their films and also choose better content.”