The storm that raged the TV industry for several weeks is finally settling down. The Hindi GECs have uplifted their fresh content blackout thereby paving the way for producers to go ahead with their shoot. Most TV producers have solved their differences with the workers. However, there are still few production houses that aren’t just willing to succumb to the workers. There’s another round of talks that’s taking place today and if they bore fruit then it will be back to work for everyone from tomorrow.
Talking of the unfolding scenario are some key players:
SAB Business head Anooj Kapoor says, “The shooting for all our shows has commenced. Thus far, I haven’t heard of any interruptions.”
Rajshri productions’ Kavita Barjatya revealed that shoot for all her shows will commence from tomorrow. Same is the case with NDTV Imagine’s flagship show Ramayan. Meanwhile, Sahara One’s Mata Ki Chowki is still awaiting the green signal. Swastik’s Creative director Siddharth. “We haven’t started to shoot yet. The four producers’ bodies will be meeting again and if all issues are sorted then we’d start shooting from tomorrow.”
Tony Singh of DJ’s A Creative Unit, says that they’ve started shooting for all their shows. Sphere Origin too has resumed with the shooting of their shows Balika Vadhu and Mohe Rang De on Colors, Saat Phere on Zee. According to an official from Colors, few shows have started to shoot form today and by tomorrow the rest will follow. There is still no word on Shreya Creations’ show Ranbir Rano on Zee TV. Lead actress Sakshi Talwar says, “Thus far, we haven’t received any word from our producers. We’re all keeping our fingers crossed.”
Rajesh Chaddha, one of the five sub-committee members under the core committee of all the producers’ bodies and also head of operations B.A.G Films Ltd, says, “There was some correction needed regarding the wages of workers which has been implemented now. There were disparities in the rates of the workers but now we have decided on a base rate which all the producers will adhere to regardless of the timeslot their show airs at. The workers will now be given a monthly package according to the base rate or their current package, whichever is higher will be maintained.”
Talking on whether all shootings have resumed, Rajesh says, “It’s too early in the day to comment on it. 15-16 unit members have started shooting at 9:00 am and some will start at 2:00 pm. One expects some conflict but we will cross the bridge once we come to it.”
So when are the broadcasters expected to air fresh content? “If everything goes fine then the fresh episodes of fiction shows will start airing from Monday, 1 December, 2008 and non-fiction shows will start airing their fresh episodes from this weekend,” informs Rajesh.
Rajan Shahi, Producer Director’s Kut, too confirms that the shooting of Bidaai has resumed. He says, “We have resumed the shoot. One is going to follow the guidelines of the MoU signed on the 19th of November decided upon by the Producers’ Guild and the Federation of Western Cine Employees. The date of airing of fresh content has still not been communicated to me by the channel.”
Producer Siddharth Malhotra of Cinevistaas, that currently has Dill Mill Gayye on air says, “Despite the strike being resolved, we are not able to start shooting. We had a 2 o’ clock shift today but the workers refused to sign the contract and resume work. The shoot had to be therefore cancelled. It has been three weeks since the shoots are on hold. It is about time we resume shooting. This fight between the producers and workers has reached a point where things can’t be continued in this way any more. There has to be an end to this.”
Producer Dheeraj Kumar of Creative Eye states, “The shoot for all our shows has started. The workers were to be paid their legitimate dues and there is nothing wrong in them demanding it and getting it.”
Creative Eye has Maayka, Betiyaan and Jai Maa Vaishno Devi on air.
The latest from the Hindi Television industry is that the production houses have had a talk with their workers, and the good news is that shooting is likely to resume from today...
The latest news from the Hindi television industry that has taken to a screeching halt for the past two weeks is that all the channels will jointly aim at resuming shoot at the most by Tuesday.
The Producers’ body is abiding by the MOU signed on the November 19th, and production houses have started talking independently with their workers so that a mutual settlement is reached.
Says Mr. Pintoo Guha, Producer, Film Farm “We have had a talk with our workers and are going by the MOU signed on 19th. My team is ready to start shoot, so I think we will resume work by today evening. Having said this, nothing is clear as such as the costume and sound engineers had gone back on the same MOU earlier. So we need to wait and watch as to what happens tomorrow when we resume shoot!”.
Cloud of uncertainty looms large even now, as it was the same MOU on which few categories of workers had expressed displeasure days back. Pradeep, Supervising Producer, Shakuntalam Telefilms
Sunjoy Wadhwa, Producer, Sphere Origin has also had a word with his team. “Our workers are absolutely satisfied, and we have seen to it that the overall sanctity is maintained. We have sorted out the wages problem between ourselves, and plan to resume shoot from today”.
Rajan Shahi of Director's Kut, says that the industry has suffered a huge loss, whether it be the broadcasters, producers or even the workers. According to him, “Money inflow has to be there to meet the workers’ demands. So the need of the hour is to start shoot and give viewers fresh episodes. There has been a long gap now, and even the good shows will suffer a setback in TRP’s as the audience might take time to get hooked to their shows again. I am meeting my workers today, and hopefully should resume shoot for my two shows soon”.
On the differences between the Producers and Costume as well as Sound guys, Dheeraj Kumar, Creative Eye says “They have come down a bit in their rates and the producers have agreed to meet them halfway. There was a meeting yesterday in which the above category workers gave a revised figure. With this settlement done, out first priority now is to get work started”.
Hats Off’s J.D. Majethia, Rajesh Chaddha, Supervising Producer, BAG Films and Deeya from DJ’s Creations, Jay Productions, Cinevistas also confirmed that they are resuming shoot from today.
Expressing confidence that work will not get disrupted from tomorrow, Hemal Thakker of Playtime Creations states, “Finally we are back to work and we will make sure nothing goes wrong now. This is possible as our workers support us”.
A spokesperson from Balaji Telefilms also stated, “We are resuming shoot from today. Hopefully things will be back to normalcy”.
It is heard that the producers who plan to resume shoot from today will do so under complete police security. The present situation demands that the producers shell out more money to the workers, and on this our source informs us that, “Producers will not be over-taxed with the rate hike, and they will not pass on the extra burden to the channel”.
From the channel’s viewpoint, Albert Almeida, Business Head, Sony Entertainment Television says, “We have been given to understand by our producers that their crews have agreed to start shooting, so we shall commence production immediately”.
Talking about the availability of fresh content to viewers, Tarun Mehra, Business Head, Zee TV says “We have heard that shooting will resume soon. But we will take a call on lifting the re-runs only if shooting continues uninterrupted. You never know if tomorrow somebody gets up and calls for a strike again. This is an unfortunate situation as the written word is not being adhered to”.
According to our source from the industry, “If shoot resumes from today, and hopefully with no further stoppage, then the viewers might get to see fresh episodes from next Monday.
The Producers, channels and the workers are indeed eager to back to work now, as they realize that the Hindi GEC’s are going thro’ a very bad phase. Hope this rejuvenation carries on and we don’t hear the word of ‘Strike’ again!!
As of now, we will go with the optimism of Dheeraj Kumar who says, “I am quite confident that there will be no disruption”. avers, “We can’t say whether we are resuming shoot or not. We are having a meeting with our workers’ team and all depends on the outcome of that”.
And Last date of Strike? When strike will close/end? ....No answer now....but keep watching www.webnsn.com
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