Lights, Camera, Toxicity: The Dark Side of India's Entertainment Industry

There are 'no ground rules', often no contracts, and no compensation either for working overtime.

Even as many within the world of ads and films foster a culture that can be detrimental to people who merely hope to bring stories to life, there has been a slight shift with some big production houses prioritising the people – and not just work.

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint)

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Imagine working for 27 hours straight. Picture sleeping only for a couple of hours in transit before rushing to your next shoot. Or imagine working every day of the month – with only two days off. Sounds harsh? For many in Mumbai's entertainment industry, this is an everyday reality.

A reality where there are "no ground rules" – and the physical and mental well-being of the employee is regularly compromised.

As an entertainment journalist for 17-odd years, I've come across many a horror stories of people trying to keep up with the intense demands, high pressure, and erratic schedules of what can be best categorised as an informal sector. An acquaintance, who was working as an assistant director on an ad, narrated her ordeal of shooting non-stop for 38 hours over two days. Another spoke about falling ill due to pre-shoot stress – and the subsequent long hours on set.

Actors pushing through high fever because "calling in sick isn't an option" – as the sets are up and the crew is ready – is far too common.

Even before the Hema Committee Report and EY employee Anna Sebastian's death exposed the wrongdoings in the Malayalam film industry and India Inc, The Quint has been regularly bringing you stories of India's job crisis across different sectors. Read more here – and support our coverage.

Even as many within the world of ads and films foster a culture that can be detrimental to people who merely hope to bring stories to life, there has been a slight shift with some big production houses prioritising the people – and not just work.

But the question arise – is it even possible to have a work-life balance in an informal industry?

'The Entire Crew Worked for 27 Hours to Shoot 7 Ad Films'

Several people within the ad industry revealed to The Quint that more often than not, there are no contracts in place either for the actors or the crew. The reason? Drawing up contracts take up time – and ads need to be executed fast.

No contract basically means no scope for negotiation.

“There are just no ground rules. Like there is no rule that says you can’t make any creative person work beyond 12 hours, and if you do, you need to compensate them for working overtime. The only rule in advertising is to get the job done within a certain budget,” says Mumbai-based actor-director Divya Unny.

“Post-COVID, the budgets started plummeting – and even after more than three years, things haven't gotten better. I was on a set recently where the entire crew worked for 27 hours to shoot seven films,” she adds. "But the industry is so competitive, people take up what they get, cram days of work into a day or two (because of slashed budgets), and get the work done."

All of this comes at the cost of burnouts and compromised mental health, which Unny says, "no amount of money can compensate for."

The actor, who recently shot for a tea brand for 22 hours straight, with just a 40-minute break for meals, also shed light on how junior artists are treated on sets.

“The ad required 20 junior artists who stand in the rain for six hours at a stretch. Forget giving them a hot beverage, or dry clothes to change into, they were treated like they weren’t even needed... Junior artists end up suffering the most because they aren’t popular or well-known faces and are made to believe that it’s okay to be subjected to mental and verbal abuse.”

Divya Unny

Just like junior artists, gaffers, light men, technicians, and spot boys are often at the receiving end of several exploitative practices. Even the recent Hema Committee Report exposed the exploitation of junior artists in Malayalam cinema.

"There are no repercussions for people who make them work overtime. There are times when people have fallen or they have died, but where is it coming out? If people are going to be overworked, these things are going to continue to happen. The unions have to put rules in place," says Pooja Sharma (name changed on request), a Mumbai-based cameraperson with 19 years of experience.

The unions representing gaffers, technicians, and other crew members are responsible for ensuring safety, healthy working hours, and insurance, among other benefits. Producers are required to submit call sheets to these unions at least 24 hours before a shoot, allowing union representatives to conduct safety checks and verify working hours.

However, "these days, producers often send call sheets with barely 4-5 hours' notice," says Sharma. "This makes it impossible for unions to schedule timely checks. Sometimes, call sheets are sent as late as 2 am for a 6 am call time."

Sharma adds she has independently taken a stand to not allow her team to work overtime, but there's a flip side – work opportunities have become fewer. From working on over 45 projects a year, she now gets as few as four projects a year. This year, as of October, she has shot for one film.

“Also, there are others who indulge them. So light men take on jobs back-to-back – sometimes working for 22 hours with no rest. They need the money because they need to feed their families. Even if they get a job for Rs 1,200 a day, they tend to take it up.”

Pooja Sharma

Unny, too, is trying at her level to change things. “I tell everyone I hire that if they are mistreated, they have a safe space to talk about it. I want to create a healthy work environment where people are treated with respect.”

Manvi Shah (name changed on request), a Mumbai based camerawoman who works on ads and feature films, adds that "some film sets are very disciplined".

“The most I have worked overtime on a film set is 40 minutes. Film sets are relatively more planned and organised in comparison to ads. In the South, Sundays are mandatory off. They also maintain a 12-hour shift unless it’s the last day of shoot and we need to finish certain shots. In Bollywood, people are treated like time is money,” Shah tells The Quint.

'Hierarchy on Sets, Different Food Served to Crew'

TV actor Nakuul Mehta, who made his debut with Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara in 2012, says, “If the shift starts at 9 am, I show up at 8 am, but the technicians, light men, and spot boys show up at least an hour before the rest of us, and many leave only at 5 am the next day. I feel they aren't compensated as well for the work they put in. They make anywhere between Rs 1,200 and 1,600 for an 18-hour shift.”

There's more to it. Talking about other "unhealthy and discriminatory practices" in the industry, Mehta tells The Quint:

“All sets follow a system of hierarchy. When there's a lunch break, there's crew A and crew B. The former is top of the line like actors who are the most spoiled on sets. The latter are the technicians, spot boys, and light men. There's different food for each set. So, there's discrimination right from the start, and this happens everywhere.”

Nakuul Mehta

Apart from food, most sets also lack some of the other basics.

“As an actor, I have a vanity van and my own bathroom, but for women in the crew, there is no separate clean sanitation facility. In spite of some of top producers and executives in TV being women, the basics are not provided. While I enjoy this luxury, assistant directors and light men don’t even have a space to just keep their belongings. I offer them my vanity to keep their things whenever possible,” he adds.

Popular TV actor Urvashi Dholakia – who's best known for her portrayal of Komolika in Kasautii Zindagii Kay, created by Balaji Telefilms – says she simply carries her food from home, but not everybody can do that. “Since most production houses want to save money, they serve horrible food to the staff,” she says.

“It’s especially bad for light men and spot boys. They need to be respected for the amount of work they do on sets. We get to sit on a sofa, go into our vanity vans, and sit in the AC. They grab any corner they find on sets to eat food. There are a few production houses who do provide a room with a set up for them to eat, but it is not a regular practice,” says Dholakia, who has been a part of the industry for over 24 years.

'Draw Boundaries On Work Timings'

Dholakia recalls working round the clock when she first started two decades ago.

“We would never know what time we are coming back home. We only knew what time we had to be on set. We were always at the mercy of what the producer needed. If the shift was extended, we would comply.”

Urvashi Dholakia

From being dehydrated to the extent of requiring medical help, she has worked though it all. “Over the years, due to the lifestyle I had for many years, I have developed a sleep disorder.”

Dholakia adds that she doesn't work long hours anymore though.

“I go on sets even today but work a 12-hour shift unless there is a one-off day when the producer requests. I agree only if my body and mind allow it. But my struggle is 0.1 percent in comparison to someone who is fresh off the boat," she says.

In her long career, she has seen things change, but "it's only 10 percent better from when she started out," she adds.

"Serials are an everyday affair. You have to report at a particular time. While most of them are more considerate today, I see people who do daily soaps, have no life. They get 1-2 days off in a month."

Urvashi Dholakia

Nakuul recalls that he was always cognizant of the amount of time he spent on sets – and "laid down a 10-hour workday rule with Sundays off" right from the beginning of his career. He has these boundaries in place because he wants to prioritise his mental health, but he also recognises that he comes from "the privilege of knowing he can ask".

“I may be wrong here but, before me, I have never heard of any artist asking for a Sunday off or a 10-hour workday. I don’t have any examples of my contemporaries either to cite in over a decade and a half. I also ensure I get two weeks off each year to spend time with my family,” Mehta adds.

At the same time, he recalls working through COVID-19 because he "felt responsible for the work coming to a standstill".

“I remember getting COVID-19 when I was shooting abroad. I came back and had to be quarantined. After 4-5 days, I shot scenes for my show Bade Acche Lagte Hain on my phone, which was telecast, nationally. I was feeling better, but I worked while I was down with COVID, because I felt responsible.”