Even as the Kollywood crisis deepened and 55 films are stuck due to the stand-off between the producers and the crew unions, the Tamil Nadu producers council held an emergency meeting late Monday and appealed to chief minister J. Jayalalithaa to intervene as millions of rupees, mostly borrowed at high interest rates, were at stake.


"This impasse has badly hit the (film) industry. It is not just the money locked up, but also the livelihood of hundreds of workers. We hope the chief minister will intervene and set things right," producers council chairperson S.A. Chandrasekar told kollyinsider.

The crew unions, coming under the umbrella label film employees federation of south India (FEFSI), are demanding an increase in emoluments, pointing out that the wage revision effected every three years was due for negotiation early 2011 but the producers were dodging the issue.

The council has taken the stand that the hike demanded by FEFSI was unreasonable and done unilaterally.

FEFSI, too, had made a representation to the chief minister a few days back, seeking her intervention.
The directors union announced wage revision for directors, associate directors and assistant directors Sunday. Mr Chandrasekar was not willing to comment on it.

"The producers should plan shoots better to cut costs. It is not fair to give low salaries to labourers," says associate director Chandra. She says though the stand-off has affected many families, the issue has to be sorted out since it 'was more a rights issue'.

With the stand-off affecting many films under production, producers and FEFSI members hope the state will intervene and sort out the issue.