An eight-week gap between theatrical and OTT release for the big stars. A firm check on stars accepting multiple films without clearing earlier dues. Keeping a ceiling on salaries and production costs. These were some of the issues that were discussed in the recent joint meeting in Chennai held under the aegis of the Tamil Film Producers Association (TFPC). Executive members of other important branches of the film industry, including Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association, Tamil Nadu Multiplex Owners Association, and Tamil Nadu Film Distributors were also present in the meeting, and they came up with a six-point solution to the most important issues plaguing Tamil cinema.
- It has been unanimously decided in the meeting that films starring leading stars should be released on OTT platforms only 8 weeks after their theatrical release.
- Some actors and technicians, after receiving the advance from certain production companies, are moving on to work for other production companies. This leaves the former with huge financial losses. So, going forward, any actor or technician should complete the projects in hand before moving on to newer projects to mitigate such challenges. Considering how actor Dhanush has received advance payments from several producers, the producers are requested to consult the Tamil Film Producers Association before starting work on new films starring the actor.
- TFPC is devising new regulations to ensure films are not stuck in the cans without getting a proper release window in theatres. A unanimous resolution has been passed in the meeting to temporarily suspend the start of new films from 16.8.2024 to ensure the shootings start after the implementation of the new regulations.
- The details of the films currently in production should be formally communicated to the Tamil Film Producers Association, and we request the producers to complete the ongoing shooting by October 30.
- As the salaries and other expenses of actors, actresses, technicians are rising uncontrollably, various efforts are made to regularise it and restructure the Tamil film industry. Therefore, it has been unanimously resolved in the meeting that from 01.11.2024 all kinds of work related to shooting of Tamil cinema will be stopped.
- A joint action committee comprising producers, distributors, and theatre owners has been formed to resolve the issues related to the film industry in the future.
TFPC regulations passed in recent meeting
With these resolutions in place, it would be interesting to see how the TFPC plans to implement them. It is to be noted that this isn’t the first time Tamil cinema is being shut down due to its irregularities. Back in 2018, a strike was called to protest a host of issues affecting the revenue share of producers, especially the rate of the Virtual Print Fee charged on the digital distribution of films through multiplexes and single screens. But this time around, these decisions by the TFPC are made against the actors and technicians, and we have to wait and see how they respond to these regulations.
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