Kolkata, Apr 7 (PTI) Shooting for soaps, web series and films in different studios of Kolkata came to a halt on Tuesday morning as artistes called for a cease work demanding proper safety arrangements at their workplace.
The West Bengal Motion Picture Artistes’ Forum asserted that the cease work will continue till a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) is formulated and introduced to ensure the safety and security of actors, crew and other members of every production unit.
The artistes launched the stir after actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee drowned in the sea during an outdoor shoot of a Bengali soap near Digha in Purba Medinipur district on March 29.
The forum held a meeting in the morning at the technician’s studio to draft recommendations for the SoP, which will be submitted to channels and production houses for implementation on an urgent basis.
The forum’s general secretary, Shantilal Mukherjee, had on Sunday said that no artiste or technician or spot boy will work on the shooting floor or outdoors without full implementation of a proper SoP.
Mukherjee on Tuesday said that talks are underway among all stakeholders, including production houses, actors, technicians and the Eastern India Motion Pictures Association on the issue.
“We stand firm and united regarding our demand,” he said.
Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers president, Swaroop Biswas, also supported the decision, saying that the SoP is essential so that no more mishaps take place in future.
“We are on ceasework till the SoP is framed and adopted, factoring in the safety and security issues of every single member of the cast and crew, both on the floors and outside. We are having discussions with the representatives of channels and production houses on the issue,” director Kaushik Ganguly had earlier said.
“All of us know how the cancellation of a day’s shooting causes financial strain on every stakeholder. But a few days of sacrifice will ensure that the actors, technicians and crew members safely return home after their work,” Ganguly had said.
Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee said the sudden death of Rahul has pointed out many loopholes in the shooting system.
“We don’t wish to take any side or be judgmental against anyone. All we want is a safety and security cover,” he said.
On Saturday, the forum lodged an FIR with Kolkata Police against the producers of the serial, casting Rahul, and accused them of conducting the shoot in a “negligent manner”. His wife, Priyanka Sarkar, also lodged an FIR with Odisha Police as the incident took place at Talsari in the neighbouring state.
“We want the truth and exact circumstances behind the incident to come to light,” Santilal Mukherjee had told reporters. PTI SUS ACD
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