Kollywood to go on fast against the new service tax

Sarathkumar

The entire Kollywood fraternity is likely to go on a day-long fast on 7th January in order to protest the new service tax imposed by the Union Government on the entertainment industry. The decision to go on fast was taken at an emergency meeting of all film-related bodies held in Chennai.

S.A. Chandrasekaran and S. Thanu, president and treasury (respectively) of the Tamil Film Producers’ Council (TFPC), Sarath Kumar and Radharavi, president and secretary (respectively) of the Nadigar Sangam, FEFSI’s G. Siva, Jananathan (treasurer of the Directors’ Association) and Rajendran on behalf of the small-screen artistes’ association took part in the rush hour meeting.

Sarath Kumar who met the press after the meeting said “The Union government took efforts to impose service tax, albeit in an indirect manner, back in 2012 on distributors and theatre-owners. The implementation of the order to this effect was put on hold as the then Finance Minister Pranab conceded to the film industry’s demand and said there would be no ‘service tax’.

“However, implementation of service tax with effect from 01.7.2012 as been brought in force which would affect producers, distributors, theatre-owners and all other film-related employees and workers. The 12.3% service tax would break the backbone of the industry if not withdrawn immediately; the actors, directors and technicians as a whole are in a state of shock at the imposition of the service tax.

“Therefore, the entire Kollywood film industry would sit in a day-long fast on 7th January in Chennai to protest against the Union government’s decision on service tax. All the shooting schedules slated for the day and shows in theatres stand cancelled,” informs Sarath Kumar.