Mumbai: The government`s decision to levy 12 percent service tax on film and TV actors has left many fuming. While veteran actress Hema Malini feels it would burden producers further, actor Arshad Warsi believes it would leave many actors jobless and Sonam Kapoor says the government is "corrupt".
Many feel it`s time the government stopped harassing actors.
"This move is going to encourage a parallel economy. Artists take cheques, there is no black money or cash. Now they will want to take cash. It will become a burden on the producers. As it is the government does not help film industry and now this will become a problem," Hema said.
The government announced plans to levy the tax on actors` acting as well as endorsement assignments, starting Sunday. It will be in an addition to the income tax they pay.
Vipul Shah, who produced ‘Singh Is Kinng’ and ‘Force’, is worried about the producers` woes.
"It is a terrible decision. They have the left the producers with nothing. Maybe they are under the myth that the film industry has lot of money and so decided to put a tax on it. The ticket rates don`t have any service tax, so ultimately it is the producers who pay it from their pockets," Shah said.
He says the decision will have a direct impact on producers of small budgets films.
"More films will lose its money in the coming days. Just imagine about the small budget films and other regional films... how do they pay service tax on every technician? I hope they realise that it’s a wrong decision," the producer added.
Actors are dejected by the move.
"With this service tax, there will be some more jobless actors... Blame it on the tax?
Very soon all actors` payment will go directly to the government and they will start giving us the little per cent that is left for us as salary, Arshad tweeted Monday.
Terming the decision as "ridiculous", Divya Dutta tweeted: "`They` have no idea how some of the actors survive in this tough terrain of our profession. We are as much employed professionals as any in any field.
"I strongly appeal every one of our faculty to stand `tall` against the implementation of such injustice. Please spread the word."
Divya believes this development will impact the strugglers more than it would affect the established stars.
"That tax thing is okay for those who (are) doing well, but for those who (are) struggling, not a good news to pay more," she added.
Choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan, who is set to make her acting debut with ‘Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi’, is disappointed.
"And just as I`ve turned `actress`, the government has decided to also charge 12.5 per cent service tax to all actors! This is too much. Kitna nichodogey yaar (How much will you squeeze us)?" posted Farah.
Calling the government "corrupt", actress Sonam said: "We are just filling every politicians pockets with money. If my money really went into developing my country I`d be more than happy to give it."
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.