Following the epidemic, the Telugu cinema industry has been trying to regain its footing, with many large and small producers suffering significant losses. Except for films like Pushpa and RRR, most Telugu cinematic releases have received mediocre reviews at the box office. According to producers, this is mostly due to the rise of OTT platforms and a lack of interest among the general audience in visiting theatres. The daily wage workers, protesting for a wage increase, are bearing the brunt of the industry's box-office lull. With their cries going unheeded, over 20,000 workers threatened to strike, halting the production of numerous high-profile films.
The Active Telugu Film Producers Guild (ATFPG) declared on Tuesday that filming would be temporarily halted across the industry till all stakeholders resolve their differences and create a new course for the industry moving ahead. "With shifting financial scenarios and rising costs post-pandemic, it is critical for producers to discuss the difficulties we face as a community of filmmakers." We must develop our ecology and guarantee that our films are released in a safe atmosphere. In this regard, the ATFPG said in a statement that "all producer members of the Guild have voluntarily opted to delay shoots from August 1, 2022, to sit in discussion until we find practical remedies."
For the past three months, workers from all 24 movie crafts have been protesting for salary increases. The employees agree that the producers have failed to meet their long-standing demand for salary increases due to rising fuel and food prices.
