New Delhi: As the television industry remains paralysed by lockdown, many actors and workers are scared. Non-payment of dues by many producers are just adding to the woes. For many, it is either turning into a struggle with mental health or a matter of survival.
"For newcomer actors, whose salary is less, it is very difficult (to survive). We don't know anything about whether the channel is giving money to the producer or not," actor Vikas Sethi told IANS.
"Now everybody is at home, so no one is realising that once the lockdown opens then people will be in search of money. Like my staff is asking for money. I am paying them, but till when? Right now, there is no source of money coming in, money is just going out. With the financial crisis, everyone is facing mental torture, too," added the actor, who has worked extensively on the small screen and also in a number of Bollywood movies.
To this, actor-writer-producer Gaurav Chanana added: "Our industry was the first to shut down. On March 16 we got a letter, and on the 18th we stopped working and seems like our industry will be the last to re-open. Wage earners are in disarray, so are some actors alongside technicians. People will help till a point, post that everyone has their limitations."
"In some cases, I am sure producers have not been paid and are in a cash crunch themselves, but the ones that are cash-rich and not clearing dues are totally wrong. I produce ads and have made sure everyone has been paid and in some cases even advances Have been given, which can be adjusted in future," he stressed, adding: "Hope the authorities open up our industry soon, as more people might suffer from hunger and depression than corona!"
READ |Lockdown: TV actor Manmeet Grewal commits suicide due to financial crisis
It's been almost two months since the lockdown was announced, bringing the whole entertainment industry to a standstill. It is only now that it's unprecedented domino effect on the livelihoods of thousands of workers is being noticed.
Recently, TV actor Manmeet Grewal committed suicide reportedly owing to financial constraints. Television actor Ashiesh Roy is in hospital in a critical condition and has sought financial help for dialysis. Hamari Bahu Silk actors, including Zaan Khan and Chahat Pandey, have shared their struggles due to non-payment of dues. Actor Nia Sharma has revealed that several of her friends in the industry were in severe financial crunch because they had not been paid for months. And these are just a few cases.
"One of my friends hasn't got a single penny because production is not clearing the amount. Actors are already in a bad situation and production never gives money on time. Actors get money after 60 to 90 days, and till then actors take debt from people. So, actors are already in big trouble these days, plus there's the lockdown," Arun Mandola, who acts in "Sankat Mochan Mahabali Hanumaan", told IANS.
Mandola continued: "No income and only lots of expenditure as Mumbai is too expensive compared to other cities. If an actor comes late then he is unprofessional but production never gives payment on time, so what (do) we say (about them)?"
Naagin: Bhagya Ka Zehreela Khel actor Vijayendra Kumeria pointed out that there are many producers who are using the lockdown as an excuse to get away for not paying dues.