Film workers’ bodies still waiting for relief funds promised by film producers’ bodies  

The film workers’ bodies are yet to get relief funds from various film producers’ association bodies that will help them keep the kitchen fire burning till the Corona scare is over. There are about 25 lakh members belonging to about 32 crafts who are part of Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and about twenty five thousand of them are daily wage workers.

After Bollywood and Television Industry decided to stop work much before the lockdown, a promise was made by various producers’ bodies including the The Film and Television Producers Guild and other associations to provide monetary and ration help to the daily wage workers till they go back to work. The Guild announced a relief fund asking its members to send in the donation that would be donated to the FWICE which would distribute it to the neediest of various workers’ bodies. It has been over ten days but nothing has moved, with both FWICE and members of Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union waiting for help in cash and kind.

FWICE president BN Tiwari said, “With complete lockdown, it is going to be tough for us to send ration to our members as they are scattered all over Mumbai as well as outside Mumbai. Right now our members need money to buy vegetables and food grains to tide over these 21 days period. We have been reaching out to people from the guild and producers to help. But only a couple of them have helped, and we are grateful to them. Our need is much more and I am happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced relief package for daily wage workers and we hope our members are on the list.”

The film industry has always functioned like one big family and looked after the needs of their own brethren. FWICE is working hard towards the relief & rehabilitation of its members belonging to various crafts. Tiwari adds, “We will shortly announce our programme and strategy, where we will request for donations from production houses, actors and various technicians, corporates and if need be from the government too.''

Tiwari said that FWICE has noticed that in the time of crisis, few people have started taking their personal call for donations without informing any film body. He said, “Our fear is that the money from donation should not be fleeced by individuals trying to make a quick buck. We would like to warn everyone especially the people from the film industry. Be careful before giving any money in the form of charity, unless and until the person or the organisation is affiliated with a film body or an association.”

Meanwhile it has been learnt that superstar Salman Khan is the only film star who has come forward to actually help while others have only promised help on social media but nothing has reached the FWICE or the workers.  He will be helping 25,000 workers of the film industry. One really hopes that workers who make film sets look grandeur, the spot boy who feeds the actors and producers on sets and technicians who make the films look beautiful and no song is complete with the dancers. The industry comes out and helps in large numbers for them and money they are donating to PM relief fund should be diverted to cine workers. South actors have been donating for the workers. Prabhas has donated Rs 4cr in total, Prakash Raaj has promised to help one thousand families and many more but we are yet to hear one big announcement from Bollywood.