Film industry should avoid wasteful expenditure, but not at the cost of workers, says Kamal Haasan

Rajya Sabha Member and actor Kamal Haasan on Friday called for a correction in the economics of film industry, but underlined this should never come at the cost of “workers’ wages, safety, dignity, food, transport, accommodation, or humane working conditions” and added that the “burden cannot fall on those who labour the hardest”.

Calling for an industry-wide conversation between producers, actors, directors, unions, studios, exhibitors, distributors, over-the-top platforms, and guilds, Mr. Haasan, in a statement, said the correction was needed “elsewhere” such as by avoiding “wasteful practices such as poor planning, inflated entourage culture, unnecessary foreign travel, production delays, and growing disconnect between spending and purpose”.

“Why must every love story bloom only in Paris and every honeymoon end in Switzerland?” he asked.

He said: “Together, we must evolve practical and sustainable operating practices for efficient film-making: better shooting discipline, tighter schedules, reduced luxury and entourage expenses, limiting avoidable foreign travel where suitable local alternatives exist, conserving energy across sets and studios, encouraging sustainable set construction, and reuse of materials.”

‘Lead by example’

Mr. Haasan said this was a “time for national interest over personal interest” and said those who had received the most from the film industry should “lead by example first”.