Calcutta: It was lights, camera, action once again at the Tollygunge studios on Friday after five days of no shooting because of a dispute over payment of artistes.
Tele-serials such as Om Namah Shivay, Bhanumotir Khel, Saat Bhai Champa, Aloy Bhuban Bhora, Seemarekha and Krishnakoli were back on the floors on Friday.
"The shooting for all our serials has resumed. We started working at eight in the morning. New episodes shall be aired from Saturday evening," said producer Nispal Singh of Surinder Films.
Arindam Ganguly, actor and general secretary of the Artists' Forum, said all dues will be cleared before Puja.
"Work has resumed for most serials today. The rest will begin on Saturday. The backlog of payments will be cleared by October 7," he said.
Producers have also agreed to regularise payments so that all artistes receive their pay by the 15th of every month.
The impasse over payment and work conditions ended on Thursday after chief minister Mamata Banerjee intervened.
The chief minister set up a "joint conciliation committee" with veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee as chief adviser to look into pending issues.
"Whatever problem arises will now be discussed by the committee, which has representatives from all sectors," Ganguly said.
Actress Chaiti Ghoshal thanked the chief minister. "We have been promised that our demands - payment by the 15th of every month and 10-hour shifts - will be met. The chief minister has resolved the matter with a lot of heart. It's nice that the committee has representation from all sections of the industry. Now that the conversation has started, everyone has decided to solve the problem amicably," said the Jamai Raja actress.
But the artistes, too, would need to fulfil some conditions. They received an intimation on Friday instructing them to reach the sets on time. "The Welfare Association of Television Producers (WATP) and the Artists' Forum are going to be very strict. Everybody will make sure that their members are disciplined, even the producers," Singh said.
Ganguly agreed. "The circular makes it clear that the artistes will have to adhere to the call time. Our responsibilities have increased. We'll have to make sure that all artistes reach the sets on time and work in a disciplined manner. We'll have to ensure that shoots happen in a smooth manner without any hold-up."
The actors had also demanded incentives for working over 10 hours a day. "The chief minister has asked us to start working for now. If any dispute arises, we will sit together and settle it in the committee," Singh said,
Ganguly said efforts will be made to keep to 10-hour shifts. "Shooting had been stretching to up to 16 or 18 hours a days. Now we are trying to finish work within 10 hours. The producers have agreed to it," he said.
Actor-director Arindam Sil, who is a member of the producers' association, said things are in place. "Shooting for most serials resumed on Friday. Everything will be regularised from Monday. New episodes will be aired. The committee will meet and review the situation after a week."
"The joint conciliation committee will include Aroop Biswas and Shrikant Mohta of Shree Venkatesh Films. It will also have representatives of artistes, producers, technicians and business heads of three channels - Colors Bangla, Star Jalsha and Zee Bangla. Swarup Biswas and Aparna Ghatak will represent the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI) and WATP by Nispal Singh," industry sources said. Tolly star Prosenjit, who is the working president of the Artists' Forum, will also be part of the committee.
"If any problem arises, this committee will take care of it. A meeting is due in a week," Singh said.
