Tollywood Artists Forum & Producers agree to provide medical insurance to everyone on sets

The Bengali TV industry has decided to provide medical insurance of Rs 25 lakhs to all their technicians and actors working amid the COVID-19 crisis. Following the decision, Tollywood Artists Forum, Bengali serial producers and Broadcaster have agreed to contribute 10%, 50%, and 40%, respectively to the premium cost of Rs 25 lakhs medical insurance, which the authorities are planning to provide to all TV technicians and actors on floor shooting during the COVID-19 crisis.

Following the decision made by the Bengali serial stakeholders, the TV industry is reported to resume shooting from June 11. Reportedly, the Bengali serials shooting was stopped for the past 83 days. 

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Earlier, last week in a meeting with government officials, the Bengali serial stakeholders decided to provide medical insurance of Rs 25 lakhs to all artists and technicians resuming work after the lockdown. The premium cost of medical insurance was reported to be shared by the Tollywood Artists Forum, Bengali serial producers and Broadcaster.

While in the case of technicians, the Bengali serial producers and broadcasters will equally share the premium cost, meanwhile, in the case of actors, the Bengali serial producers, broadcasters, and the Tollywood Artists Forum will contribute 40%, 50%, 10% respectively. 

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Besides providing medical insurance to all Bengal serials technicians and artists, the Federation of Cine Technicians and Worker of Eastern India will reportedly provide face mask, shield, and 500 ml sanitiser bottle to all technicians present on the TV set. Meanwhile, all of the precautionary measures are taken by the authorities to curtail the transmission of the coronavirus. According to reports, the small screen viewers can watch Bengali serials from June 15, 2020. 

Meanwhile, several media reports reveal that government officials have also asked Bengali serial producers to avoid shooting with children below the age of 10 and actors above the age of 65. Besides which, actors have been asked to carry their costumes back home and use their own makeup on the sets. Meanwhile, the producers are also planning to give technicians assignments on a rotation basis.  

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Meanwhile, reports suggest that the government has granted permission to movie producers to resume shooting from June 10, 2020, following certain precautions. Reportedly, the movie producers are currently working out the logistics of shooting with a crew of 35-member units, including the actors and technicians. Reports have it that whenever the shooting begins, films like Baazi, Doost, and Dictionary will be the first ones to go on the floors.