In the past two months of the ongoing nationwide lockdown, two television actors namely Manmeet Grewal and Preksha Mehta committed suicide due to financial crisis and depression respectively. With no shoots taking place, work had come to a crashing standstill and this led to the end of budding actors. On the other hand, the cast and crew of the now off-air show Hamari Bahu Silk are yet to receive their payments for the last six months. Talking about the ongoing financial difficulty and Coronavirus pandemic, Sanaya Irani emphasized on the need to raise voice against injustice. The actress, who is a part of the industry for 13 years now, during an interview with a leading daily, recalled the time when producers wouldn't pay on time and blame the channel for late payment. Sanaya also stated that she never faced a problem in the industry.
"I’ve not done TV in six years and I do remember during that time also, producers used to make up excuses that they will pay after three months because the channel will pay them after three months. It’s always blamed on the channel. One person passes the buck to the other, but it is like you are eating into the poor people’s lives. I never had to wait for a long time because the producers I’ve worked with were very nice and I was very professional about these things," Sanaya told.
Sanaya further asked actors to put their foot down and raise voice against non-payment of dues. She then added that one shouldn't worry about losing their job and must exercise their basic rights. "Why are you working for somebody for this long? Why are you not putting your foot down and raising your voice at the right time? First, producers opt for newcomers who are willing to work for less money. And in the fear of losing work, actors are okay with taking money eight months later. If you don’t get your money in three months, raise your voice in the fourth month. Don’t fear stigma or the fear of somebody throwing you out of the show," Sanaya added.
Talking about not receiving payment for the work done before the lockdown, Sanaya said that she is willing to wait for some more time considering the situation. "I’m willing to wait as I understand that it’s a hard time for everybody. Luckily, I’m in a position where it’s not like a hand-to-mouth situation. So, if I could make somebody else’s day or month better by holding on a little, I’ll hold on. At a time like this, you realise that none of all that name, fame, money, or the 10,000 things you have or don’t have, really matters. What matters is humanity," she concluded.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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