Thousands of artists and technicians from M'wada left unemployed

Aurangabad, April 28:

Technicians and artists from Marathwada have returned to their village after the entertainment sector in Mumbai came to a standstill. The artists demanded that the state government should allow filming with strict rules and help the sector.

Strict restrictions have been imposed in the state under 'Break the Chain'. Hence the drama theatres and shooting of the serials are closed. As a result, hundreds of artists and technicians have lost their jobs. Artists are alarmed as the situation is likely to last a long time. Strict restrictions have been imposed again as the entertainment sector re-emerges after a previous lockdown. Full-time artists and technicians are worried about their livelihood. According to artists, around one and a half thousand artists, technicians, directors, writers, musicians and singers from Marathwada are working in this sector. Meghraj Rajebhosle, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal has demanded that filming be allowed by imposing strict rules in the state. The state government has allowed shooting outside Maharashtra. If the shooting and drama theatre artists move to other states, artists, technicians, workers from Marathwada who depend on this industry will be unemployed. The state government gets huge revenue from this business. Therefore, the mahamandal has said that filming should be allowed by imposing strict rules within the state. The mahamandal has also demanded that the shooting should be allowed with a small unit, a covid test of artists and technicians should be made mandatory, doctors should be present on set and shooting should be allowed in public places.

No choice but to face unemployment

The technicians and actors have returned to the hometowns as the shooting of the serials and drama theatres shows have stopped in the state. The cast and crew of the serials are now working from other states leaving behind 70 per cent of crew members. Most artists and technicians from Marathwada are left behind. If the serials hire artists from other states we will have no choice but to face unemployment, said artist Rupesh Solanki.