Coronavirus: Producers’ Guild Announces ‘Relief Fund’ For Daily Wagers With Industry Amid Shutdown

A couple of days after Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE), Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA) and Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) in a meeting decided to halt shooting of entertainment products from 19 March to 31 March in the wake of coronavirus threat, the Producers Guild of India has announced for a compensation or relief fund for the daily wage workers employed at the shoot, to ease the financial troubles they will face over the two week long shutdown of all kinds of shoot in film, TV or OTT platforms.

This announcement has been made on behalf of Siddharth Roy Kapur who is the President of the Producers Guild of India. “In light of the complete shutdown of all production related activity for the foreseeable future due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there is bound to be significant impact on the lives and livelihood of daily wage earners in the industry.” said the release

Announcing about the relief fund, the producer’s guild asked the entertainment fraternity to contribute to the fund to ensure the shutdown causes minimum disruption in the lives of these workers in these ‘difficult times.’

Producers Guild of India sets up Relief Fund for workers affected by production shutdown owing to the COVID-19 epidemic-Official Statement#SiddharthRoyKapur @kulmeetmakkar #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/OGARZbDWxl

— producersguildindia (@producers_guild) March 17, 2020

FWICE meanwhile is organizing distribution of ration and basic materials of daily needs for the needy members of all its affiliates. The distribution will happen in Filmstan Studios Goregaon West starting from Sunday.

Dear Film makers,
FWICE is distributing ration and daily needs materials for needy members of all it's affiliates. We request you to come together and lend a helping hand to the technicians and workers who are worst hit in this crisis...#CoronaCrisis pic.twitter.com/Y1gSbXBi2i

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) March 17, 2020

Sonam Kapoor who recently reached India from US with husband Anand Ahuja has already extended her helping hand and financial aids for the same.