4,000 workers of Rajasthan film industry seek govt help

JAIPUR: When we discuss about the effect of the

lockdown

in Rajasthan, the picture of daily wage

workers

in farmlands, factories and handicraft artisans comes to our mind. No one talks about the 4,000 daily wagers involved in the Rajasthani film industry who are now unemployed due to the lockdown and are barely making their ends meet.


Rajesh Sharma, who was earning Rs 800 per day working as a lightman in Rajasthani movies before the lockdown, says, “Now-a-days, I don’t have any work and this will continue for another six months at least. I used to get work 20 days a month for 10 hours a day. With the lockdown, our condition is akin to daily wage labourers,” said Sharma.

Cinematographer

Baljeet Goswami

says that some workers are in deep trouble. “For cameramen, lightmen or artists most of whom are solely dependent on this work are in a problematic situation. The work will not revive even after lifting of the lockdown as people will fear working in groups. Without work for a year these workers will be

neck deep

in debt and there is an urgent need to provide them ration or monetary help,” said Goswami. As people are not so financially sound in Rajasthani cinema, they are waiting for the government to provide them some support.

Vipin Tiwari, president, Rajasthani Cinema

Vikas Samiti

, said that they have written to the state government for providing financial support to these people. “We have sent a list of 4,000 workers to the government to get at least Rs 5,000 monthly or free ration for them. Most of the big banner Bollywood films are shot in Rajasthan with our artists. If the government doesn’t take any steps for the artists then the already crippling industry will be severely hit.”