"90-day payment cycle is very unfair": Poonam Dhillon asks producers to pay junior actors on time
Mumbai Jul, y 30
Actor and CINTAA President Poonam Dhillon has appealed to producers to ensure fair treatment and timely payments for actors, especially those doing smaller roles.
Speaking to ANI, she said many junior actors struggle because of delayed payments and urged producers to be more sensitive towards them
Dhillon said big stars often receive special treatment, while actors with smaller roles continue to face several challenges on film and television sets. She urged producers to pay actors working for a day or two at the end of each working day and ensure those on monthly contracts receive their dues without delay.
"If I were to make a direct request to producers, I would ask them to pay attention to what is happening on their sets. If there is any injustice being done to actors, please be sensitive to them, especially the junior actors. We pamper the big stars, and sometimes we do it unreasonably as well."
"But the smaller actors have many needs. Their survival depends on timely payments. So, I request you to pay actors doing one- or two-day roles on a daily basis. And if they are working on a monthly contract, then please pay them the very next day after the month ends. Just like salaried employees receive their salaries on the 5th or 7th of the month, whatever you think works best," she added.
Speaking further, Dhillon also raised concerns over the industry's 90-day payment cycle. She said the system becomes even more difficult for actors when a show shuts down before they receive their pending payments.
"I think the 90-day payment cycle is very unfair. There's another issue as well. Sometimes a show gets shut down after an actor has already worked for 90 days. When that happens, the producer or the producers' representative tells the actors that the show has been discontinued and that they've incurred huge losses. As a result, the actors don't receive the payment they've been waiting months for. There are so many issues like this."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone who works in the industry, I can confirm this is a huge problem. The power imbalance between producers and junior artists is massive. Dhillon is one of the few established actors speaking up about this. I hope this creates some real change, not just headlines!
Finally someone is talking about this! My cousin did a small role in a TV serial and they didn't pay her for 4 months. She was a student and had literally taken a loan to travel for the shoot. The producers just ignored calls afterwards. The 90-day cycle is a joke - it should be 30 days max! 🙏
While Poonam Dhillon makes valid points about payments, I think we also need to talk about the working conditions on sets. Long hours, no breaks, and last-minute changes are common issues that affect all actors, not just junior ones. But yes, delayed payments hit smaller artists the hardest. Good on her for speaking up.
Ye toh bahut common problem hai industry mein. I know a guy who did background work in a Bollywood film - they promised payment in 90 days, then the film flopped and he never got a single rupee. Producers think junior artists are disposable. CINTAA needs to actually take action, not just make statements. Otherwise change nahi hoga.
What Dhillon is saying resonates with what happens in other creative industries too. In my experience in corporate events, freelancers often face the same 90-day nonsense. It's just a way for companies to hold onto money and bully workers. I hope this conversation leads to industry-wide reforms.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.