After three days of a tense standoff, Telugu film producers and representatives from the Telugu Film Employees Federation convened at the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce to address ongoing issues. During the meeting, producers reportedly proposed four key proposals. Implementation of fixed full-day call sheets (either 6 AM to 6 PM or 9 AM to 9 PM) and permission to hire non-union members if qualified union members are unavailable at the time of shooting. No objections under the ‘ratio’ system, regardless of the shooting location. Double wages to be paid only on government-declared holidays and second Sundays, while regular Sundays would attract standard wages. According to industry sources, producers clarified that discussions around wage hikes would only proceed after the Federation responds to these four conditions. “Meeting between producers and federation members indeed happened today, but I had personal work, so I couldn’t make it,’ says producer Mohan Vadlapatla, Joint Secretary, Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce. Meanwhile, Telugu Film Industry Employees Federation President Anil Vallabhaneni informed members through a letter that discussions had indeed taken place around these four proposals. “We have agreed to two of them and will consult with federation members before deciding on the remaining two,” he said. He added that the matter would be resolved within the Film Chamber’s Producers Council and that another meeting would be held on Saturday, as Friday is a public holiday. Anil Vallabhaneni also expressed hope that senior actors Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna would ensure a fair resolution. He emphasized that shooting permissions have been granted to those producers who agreed to the proposed 30% wage hike. “The final decision on small producers’ proposals will rest with the Producers’ Council. We will continue to support independent filmmakers,” he concluded. Earlier, members of the Producers Guild met with Nandamuri Balakrishna at his residence today, following their meeting with megastar Chiranjeevi on August 5. Speaking to the media, Telugu Film Producers Council member T. Prasanna Kumar revealed that Balakrishna advised reducing the number of shooting days to curb production costs. “He stressed that producers are the true paymasters and their wellbeing is vital to the survival of the industry,” Prasanna Kumar said. Balakrishna also recommended reducing crew size on film sets to promote efficiency and cost-effectiveness. “He assured us that he is committed to doing four films a year to support producers and keep the industry thriving,” Kumar added. Commenting on their earlier meeting with Chiranjeevi, Kumar added, “All top stars are eager to see this crisis resolved quickly. Protecting everyone’s interests is key to ensuring a healthy and sustainable industry.”
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