Bollywood will come to a standstill on February 23rd as the industry is planning a complete shutdown to protest over new government proposals to levy a new service tax on the film making industry. Those who oppose the proposal say the extra tax will have a negative effect on Indian film makers, squeezing film budgets even further.
The Bollywood strike will take place on February 23rd for the entire day, although the strike could be extended if there’s enough support for the cause. The Film Federation of India (FFI) declared the nationwide shut down, while the industry is waiting to see if the Film Producers Guild will join the strike, which would provide a big boost to the cause.
However not everyone supports the strike, filmmaker Retan Jain is one in particular who insists that the strike will only succeed in losing money for the Indian film industry. Jain believes that the best way to tackle the central government proposal to impose another tax on movies made in India is to call a meeting with the finance ministry to address the proposal head on.
Other well known faces in Bollywood support the strike whole heartedly, including Ramesh Sippy who is calling for indefinite strike to ensure the protest does not go unnoticed. Sippy believes the tax would mean an extra burden on the Indian film industry which is already the subject of heavy taxes.
Do you support the strike? Or do you think the Bollywood movie industry should pay more in tax? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below.
The singer Diljit Dosanjh is no stranger to controversy however his latest single which was leaked online, 15 Saal, is proving particularly contentious as a women’s rights group staged a march to the performer’s home to protest over the message the singer is portraying in his single.
British Pakistani boxing champion, Amir Khan, celebrated this engagement to New York born Faryal Makhdoom last weekend with a star studded party held at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton. 1,000 family and friends, including fellow sports stars Rio Ferdinand and Ricky Hatton, attended the glamorous party which is reported to have cost the young boxer £150,000.
The team behind Kudos Music and E3UK Records have come together to pay their respects to the loss of their beloved DJ Unkz. With the anniversary of his passing approaching on the 15th of February 2012, the best way and most fitting tribute was for a moving tribute track to be released in his name. DJ Unkz aka Unkar Singh was a significant member of the Kudos Music roadshow.
If you’ve been pining for bhangra singer 
Oprah Winfrey was given a very warm welcome during her first visit to India this week by one of the most famous 
Hollywood leading man, Richard Gere, is the latest big name from the US to be linked to an Indian film role.
Latest Comments