The strike called by the Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation (cine workers) brought several film shoots to a halt today.
Even major productions like Ustaad Bhagat Singh were disrupted, as Federation members accused producers of hiring workers from Mumbai and demanded an immediate stop to such practices.
At the heart of the dispute is the Federation’s demand for a 30% wage hike — a proposal that producers have deemed unacceptable.
In response, producers have stated their intention to recruit new workers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, bypassing the Federation entirely, claiming they have received permission from the Labour Commissioner.
However, this plan appears unfeasible, as skilled and experienced cine workers are not readily available outside the Federation’s existing workforce.
Big-budget projects like The Raja Saab, Ustaad Bhagat Singh, NTR–Neel, SSMB29, and Akhanda 2 are currently in production and require highly skilled technicians.
These films cannot proceed with inexperienced or substitute workers, making further shooting delays likely.
Meanwhile, some productions slated for release in September and October — such as Ram Pothineni’s Andhra King Taluka — have reportedly agreed to the Federation’s wage demands in order to complete filming on time.
