FEFSI system is comprised of more than 20 associations of the cinema industry. There is an unwritten standing order that anyone interested to produce a film should compulsorily engage employees who are members of the FEFSI.
Initially producers availed the assistance of the FEFSI to engage labourers for their movie productions. This was at ease for them to identify the suitable persons. As the same the technicians and the labourers had the ease of finding their job for their daily bread.
Later, FEFSI union become very strong with around 20 individual associations becoming members at FEFSI. This helped FEFSI to have members in multiples of thousands. FEFSI becoming stronger on day-by-day started to dominate the cinema industry, especially the Tamil Film Industry by various demands. Increase in wages, unwritten standing order that producers should engage only labourers who are members of FEFSI for any event related to the cinema industry (Audio launch & Press Meets), Suppliers of food should be members of FEFSI and many others. Though producer and technicians were very useful and happy with the convenience of FEFSI, they had a mental dissatisfaction about the domination of FEFSI and few cases of harassment of FEFSI employees. This dissatisfaction of producers against FEFSI had created dispute between them both and the Tamil Cinema Industry had been in dark for months together.
On 12th February 2014, the audio launch of the film “Aadhiyum Anthamum” took place at Prasad Lab in Chennai. There were many journalists and other invitees who had assembled at Prasad Lab to attend the audio launch function.
Since the audio launch had been fixed at 9:00 AM, the producers of the movie “Aadhiyum Anthamum” had engaged a private caterer (Non-member of FEFSI) to serve food & snacks for the journalists. It is neither mandatory nor a rule that the members of Press & Media attending a cinema function should to be served with food or other assistance only by the members of the FEFSI.
In-spite of it, FEFSI members Babu & Chandran suddenly made their presence at the dining area where Press & Media persons where having their breakfast and interrupted the private caterer with pandemonium to immediately stop them from serving the food. They also ordered the others from the FEFSI who had come along with Babu and Chandran to remove the catering utensils and the food. Immediately few journalists intervened and spoke to Babu, Chandran and others of FEFSI and told them it was an Audio Launch function and the food was being served only for the Press & Media persons. They also pointed out that their FEFSI rule could not be applicable for the Press & Media persons.
Since Babu & Chandran who were with the influence of alcohol, were not able to understand the words of the journalists and started to abuse them with un-parliamentary and filthy language. Journalist’s immediately bounced back and warned Babu, Chandran and others of the FEFSI to immediately move away from the venue to avoid further snags.
The mobile phone of a journalist Mr.Ravishankar who was shooting video of the pandemonium of Babu & Chandran was attempted by the members of the FEFSI to be snatched from him. Due to the interference of the other journalists, Ravishankar and his mobile phone was at safe. The members of the FEFSI who were irritated on their failure to snatch the mobile phone of Ravishankar, threatened the overall journalists with dire consequences stating that they would be waiting outside the compound for the exit of the journalists.
It is to be noted that the producer of the film “Sainthadu Sainthadu” had blamed the members of the FEFSI for their anarchy and lawlessness.
A complaint has been already sent to Mr.Ameer, President of FEFSI. Ameer has assured to take necessary action against Babu, Chandran and others from FEFSI who had misbehaved with journalist.
Hope Ameer’s intervention, would in future control the pandemonium and anarchy of the members of FEFSI.
