Tamil filmmakers to strike against service tax

Members of the Tamil film industry are to hold a token fast to protest against Indian's government's service tax. The 12.36 percent tax, they claim, hurts the film and television industry.

When announcing the decision to strike, Sarath Kumar, the president of the  South Indian Film Artistes' Association, said: "Though the tax imposition has been effective since July, we wanted to raise our voices now as the next annual budget session is due in a few months."

"This tax only adds to the burden of the producers as it increases production costs. A representation of the industry's demands is currently being prepared and will be sent to the union finance minister," he added.

All the region's film bodies, including the Tamil Film Producers' Council (TFPC), the Federation of Film Employees' Federation of South India ( FEFSI) and the South Indian Film Chamber Of Commerce and the associations for television artists, have agreed to participate in the strike. According to Kumar, unions of the other south Indian film industries too have been invited to join the protest.

Despite previous publications, theatres will not be shut down on that day as they are not affected by the tax.

On February 23, 2012, they went on a one-day strike against the government's proposal, but it did not stop the government from approving the measure which came into effect on July 1, 2012.