The Tollywood film industry is currently at a standstill following a strike called by technicians from the Federation of Cine Technicians’ Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI) starting today. The dispute centers on the recent lifting of a suspension imposed on film director Rahool Mukherjee. The controversy began when it was revealed that Rahool had worked for four days on the Bangladeshi series Lohu in Kolkata before moving to Bangladesh to complete the rest of the film. Initially, Rahool denied this, but later confirmed it. He was also accused of failing to settle payments for those four days of work in Kolkata, resulting in a three-month suspension by the Directors’ Guild (Directors’ Association of Eastern India). Although Rahool provided evidence proving his innocence, and the Guild lifted the suspension on Friday, the Federation of Cine Technicians opposed the decision.
As a result, Rahool’s potential involvement in directing Shrikant Mohta’s Puja film was put into question. The federation's president declared that Rahool would only be accepted as the creative producer, with Soumik Haldar assigned as the director. Technicians responded to this by calling a strike on Saturday, and actors Prosenjit and Anirban Bhattacharya opted to stay in their vanity vans rather than participate in the shoot if Rahool was directing.In response, directors protested, questioning whether the technicians could complete their work independently if the directors stopped working. They have called for a reconsideration of the situation over the weekend, warning that they might also strike starting Monday if the issue remains unresolved.
On Saturday morning, despite the presence of actors Prosenjit, Anirban Bhattacharya, producer Shrikant Mohta, and others on set, technicians refused to work due to Rahool’s presence. The federation’s president argued that there was a breach of agreement as Soumik Haldar was supposed to direct. This stance provoked objections from other directors, including Raj Chakraborty, who criticized the technicians' refusal to work with Rahool and questioned the feasibility of technicians completing a project alone if directors also ceased work from Monday. The same issue affects TV shows and series as well. Director Raj Chakraborty has urged the federation president to reconsider over the weekend, hoping for a resolution so that work can resume on Monday. Otherwise, directors might also join the strike. Actor Parambrata voiced his frustration, stating, “The federation is not a lawmaker. They can set rules for their members, but they should consult with producers, directors, and actors before making such decisions. Such behavior from the organization is unacceptable.”