India film workers go on strike
The shining lights of Bollywood went dark Wednesday as actors, technicians and cam- eramen struck to demand better pay and overtime, halting dozens of movies and television productions.
A coalition of 22 unions representing more than 100,000 technicians, dancers and other film workers ordered their members not to show up for work, indefinitely shuttering one of the world’s most prolific movie industries.
More than 200 Hindi-language films are produced every year in Mumbai, home of India’s film industry known as Bollywood.
Although the films portray a world of glamour, with lush production numbers, working conditions on the sets are notoriously poor. Workers who build movie sets or handle lighting get paid about $11 for long days, without overtime pay.
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