TV actor’s suicide throws light on dues in industry

On Friday, TV actor Manmeet Grewal committed suicide due to acute financial crisis in the wake of the lockdown. While the incident has left the industry shocked, it has also triggered a serious conversation on when shoots can be resumed, of course, with all the precautionary measures in place. The fact that Manmeet ended his life as he did not have work or money to repay his loans, has become a cause of concern for various film and TV associations, especially since many members of the fraternity are struggling to make ends meet because of unpaid dues.
Expressing the general sentiment among artistes, senior actor Raza Murad said, “The saddest part is that the TV industry follows a system of being paid after 90 days. There are many workers, including actors, who are currently facing a financial crisis because of this. If this situation continues, we fear that there may be more Manmeet Grewals.”

Meanwhile, Cine & TV Artists Association (CINTAA) has requested producers to clear their actors’ dues. Amit Behl, Senior Joint Secretary and Chairperson of Outreach Committee, CINTAA, shared, “We urge television producers to clear the dues of their cast. Actors need money to survive, so producers should not insist on the 90-day payment system in the face of such a crisis. If people are paid their dues, we can avert such tragedies.”

There are some cases in the industry, where shows have ended, but actors have not been paid even after a year. An actor said on the condition of anonymity, “It’s frustrating to be not paid for your hard work. In these times of lockdown, it’s making our situation worse. We don’t know what to do and whom to approach, as everyone is battling a financial crisis.”

JD Majethia, Chairman of the TV wing of Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC), said, “It is important that we take care of our fellow workers in such a crisis. I had previously sent a mail in this regard to all the producers and yesterday, I again penned a note urging them to clear dues. In addition, they should make an advance payment to those who are in need.”


‘The show must go on’


Meanwhile, several people feel that resuming shoots is the only way forward. Raza Murad said, “I would like to appeal to the government to give us permission to start work with minimum workers, with all the precautions in place.”

However, Amit Behl feels that it’s easier said than done. He explained, “Working at minimum capacity and resuming shoots is a creative call, in which we have no say. Also, people must understand that even the smallest unit on a TV set requires a certain number of technicians. So, it is not easy for TV shows to resume shoots even after taking the necessary precautions, because it will pose a health hazard.”

While that may be so, Majethia feels that shoots can’t be stalled any further. “We have a plan in place and would like to discuss it with the Maharashtra government. We would like to resume shoots with a smaller workforce. It is important that the show goes on,” he signed off.