Kamal meets Vijay, submits 6 demands Tamil film industry’s development

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder and Rajya Sabha Member Kamal Haasan on Saturday met Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and handed over a list of six important demands related to the development of the Tamil film industry. Mr. Haasan’s meeting with Mr. Vijay comes a day after the former called for a conversation with stakeholders regarding the adoption of “practical and sustainable film-making practices”.

In a short statement on social media, Mr. Haasan said: “Today, I met in person with the Honorable Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and younger brother Vijay, and conveyed my best wishes. He enthusiastically shared many dreams for the betterment of Tamil Nadu. The humility and affection he displayed during the meeting filled me with pride. I have submitted to him six important demands, emphasising that the Tamil Nadu government’s support and embrace are essential for the Tamil film industry, which is facing various obstacles.”

Mr. Haasan made two separate political demands which included complete elimination of manual scavenging through introduction of robotics and introduction of village libraries and skill development mission across 12525 village panchayats in Tamil Nadu.

“No human being in our great State of Tamil Nadu should ever be forced due to poverty or social oppression to clean sewage or septic tanks with their bare hands. Though manual scavenging is banned by law, the practice sadly continues even today before our eyes. I request the government of Tamil Nadu to launch a State-wide mission to completely eradicate manual scavenging through robotics, mechanised sewage systems and modern technology. Young Indian startups have already developed these technologies and Tamil Nadu lead India in proving that innovation and humanity together can end this cruel product of the caste system,” he said.

He also added, “I humbly request the Directorate of Public Libraries and the School Education Department to launch a special scheme through which corporations, philanthropists, and private individuals may be allotted land via Gram Sabha resolutions to construct and maintain libraries and skill development centers in every village of Tamil Nadu. My hope is simple yet ambitious that every one of Tamil Nadu’s 12,525 village panchayats will one day have both a technology-enabled sewage management system and a modern library equipped with computers and digital learning facilities.”

In his list of demands, Mr. Haasan urged the Chief Minister to abolish local body entertain taxes on movie tickets, form a strong anti-piracy team, permit five shows a day in theatres to improve revenues, mandatory eight-week over-the-top (OTT) window to protect theatres and provide 10% rebate on production cost on films that conduct over 50% of their shooting in Tamil Nadu and launch a state-owned OTT platform which would provide Tamil film audiences access to Tamil cinema, independent films and documentaries at affordable and subsidised rates.