In the midst of the ongoing strike in Tollywood, a group of small and emerging producers held a press meet at Prasad Labs, Hyderabad, to express mounting concerns over union regulations and the 30% wage hike demand from film workers.
The gathering saw the participation of several notable names from the industry, including SKN, Dheeraj Mogilineni, Razesh Danda, Chaitanya (Prime Show), Benny, Sharath (Chai Bisket), Anurag, Madhura Sreedhar, Maheshwar Reddy, Rakesh Varre, and others.
Union Rules & Wage Hike: The Core Concerns
Producer Razesh Danda highlighted the strain on small producers, stating that the industry can only flourish if they are able to survive.
“We are already struggling to keep productions going. Now with the strike and a demand for a 30% salary hike, the pressure is immense. Out of 150 junior artists listed, barely 50 actually show up, yet costs remain the same. OTT and dubbing film payments are delayed, but we’re expected to pay daily — is that realistic?”
Madhura Sreedhar Reddy criticized excessive union control:
“Even for a small scene, we must get approval from the union to use a generator. For a simple sequence with a hero and his friend, we are forced to hire 80 staff members—makeup, costume, production—when only 6 are needed. Why should producers carry this unnecessary burden?”
Chaitanya – Prime Show added that forcing producers to hire a fixed number of crew instead of determining requirements themselves is unfair:
“We generate employment, but no producer is truly happy right now. We need flexibility, not rigid rules.”
Escalating Film Budgets
Vamsi Nandipati pointed out that films which should cost ₹2 crore are ending up at four to five times the budget due to inflated expenses:
“If union members stepped into our shoes, they’d realise the struggle.”
Dheeraj Mogilineni called for modernizing union rules:
“We entered the industry with passion, but forcing a crew of 100–150 for smaller shoots wastes resources. Strikes benefit no one.”
Gap Between Small Films & Big Productions
Rakesh Varre shared a striking comparison:
“Earlier, a film could be made with union and local workers for ₹1.5 crore. Now, using only union staff, it has shot up to ₹8 crore. For small films, recovering that kind of money is impossible.”
Sharath (Chai Bisket) agreed:
“Union rules are becoming obstacles. We need dialogue, not division.”
SKN’s Strong Stand for Small Producers
SKN stressed that 90% of films are small productions and are being unfairly treated on par with big-budget projects:
“We manage finances, meet deadlines, yet return home empty-handed. You want a 30% hike? Take 50% even — but can you guarantee we’ll recover it through theatrical revenues? The 25% wage cut suggested for small films never materialized. We are not ‘rising’ producers — we are burning producers.”
He further questioned:
“Who has the right to dictate crew size and wages when there is no business? Some producers are pushing personal agendas under the pretext of supporting workers. Unions must balance rights with responsibilities, or we’ll work with those who meet our budgets.”
Call for Government Intervention
Concluding the meet, SKN appealed to the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments:
“Heroes understand our struggles; unions must too. This is our industry, and producers are part of it. We need collective thinking — not selfishness.”
✅ Key Issues Highlighted by Small Producers:
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Excessive staffing requirements dictated by union rules
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30% wage hike demand during a period of low returns
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Skyrocketing budgets making small films financially unviable
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Unequal treatment of small and big productions
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Rigid labour policies out of sync with current market realities
