Speculations are rife that the shoot of Amitabh Bachchan's game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC 9), which recently went on the floors, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati and Shah Rukh Khan's next with Anand L Rai are likely to come to a standstill.
According to a SpotboyE report, film and TV crew members including junior artistes, spot boys, makeup men and others have threatened to go on an indefinite strike after August 15 if their demands are not met.
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The report said that the workers, who are members of Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), had demanded salary hike, eight-hour shift, and accidental and medical insurance.
In 2015, a similar strike was conducted demanding the same benefits. Back then, the workers were assured that their demands would be fulfilled but in vain.
Talking to SpotboyE, Birendra Nath Tiwari, president, FWICE, said: "We had asked for a hike of 13 percent in 2015, and 11 percent thereafter for each of the next 5 years. However, till now we haven't received a penny of that. Now the producers are saying that let's forget about the last two years, and settle at 7.5% hike for just this year."
Tiwari further said the strike will affect the TV shows more than films. "All the shows and movies where cine employees are working will face a tough time. Films will be affected less, but TV shows will get affected especially the ones which are daily soaps. Amitabh Bachchan's Kaun Banega Crorepati will be affected as it's just gone on floors and there won't be people to work on it unless our demands are met. If the producers aren't budging a bit, we too won't. We will go on strike and not go to work," he said.
