Impasse over COVID-19 insurance resolved; shooting of Bengali TV serials to start from Thursday
Kolkata, Jun 10 () Resolving their differences over the issue of COVID-19 medical insurance, representatives of actors, technicians, producers of Bengali TV soaps and channel heads on Wednesday arrived at a consensus to start serial shootings from June 11,
West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas, who took the initiative in resolving the impasse, told reporters after a meeting that there were no differences among the stakeholders and shooting will resume after 85 days in various studios from Thursday morning.
Biswas is the state's PWD, youth affairs and sports minister, but he also looks after the entertainment industry.
The shooting was supposed to start from Wednesday but it did not. Talks among the stake holders on Tuesday night ended in a deadlock over the issue of Rs 25 lakh COVID-19 medical insurance for every artiste to be effective from the first day of shooting.
Representatives from the West Bengal Motion Pictures Artists' Forum, West Bengal TV Producers, the Federation of Cine Technicians & Workers of Eastern India and different channels were present at the meeting where a standard operating procedure (SOP) was signed by the participants after a two-hour long discussion.
"We have got definite assurance from the other side that processing of papers is on. And every artist participating in the shooting will be covered from the first day," Artists Forum General Secretary Arindam Ganguly said.
The minister said, "There can be differences among members of a family. But that is temporary. We all have to work together in the interest of everyone in the entertainment industry and for the audience."
He said the SOP covered all aspects.
A spokesman of the Forum had earlier alleged that channel owners and producers could not assure the artists about giving signed document of the medical insurance premium from the first day of shooting.
According to the signed SOP, issued after Wednesday's meeting, said channels and producers will pay 50 per cent and 40 per cent respectively of the insurance fee, and the rest 10 per cent will be paid by the Forum.
A spokesman of West Bengal TV Producers expressed happiness over the "positive development."
"We will start shooting from tomorrow morning and call times have already been allotted to the artistes," he said.
Mahendra Soni, Co-Founder and Director of SVF Entertainment, said "We welcome the developments. Shooting will resume now keeping in mind all the safety protocols."
There were other mutually agreed decisions like not having artists under 10 years of age and wearing masks on the floor except during shoots and securing written undertaking from actors above 65 years.
The state government issued a notification on May 30, allowing shootings of serials, web series, and feature films from June 1 with the gathering of a maximum of 35 people. However, filming of reality shows is still not permitted. SUS NN NN