The management of NLC India Ltd., a public sector undertaking, in Cuddalore district allowed shooting of Vijay’s latest filmMaster for a sum of ₹25,000 a day.
The film crew, comprising about 200 persons, including artistes and technicians, entered the mining area of NLCIL on February 4 for a ten-day shoot, that included fight scenes, NLCIL sources said on Thursday.
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“The mining area is huge, around 100 acres, and a portion of it was earmarked for the purpose of shooting scenes for Vijay’s film. Yes, ₹25,000 a day is pittance for the high-budget film...we are in the process of revising the norms now. The management is considering enhancement of fee up to ₹1 lakh a day for commercial film shooting,” an NLCIL official said.
Besides ₹2.5 lakh for 10 days, the film crew paid separately for using guesthouses, water and electricity, the official said, adding that the shoot continued on the second day (on Thursday), after Mr. Vijay was taken away by officials of the Income Tax.
The original norms in NLCIL was to charge ₹5,000 a day for film shooting, and this was increased to ₹10,000 a day later.
“There are no clear-cut norms on categorisation of shooting for non-commercial purposes like documentaries, research work etc. We are now in the process of rolling out a clear tariff chart for the purpose,” the official said. Since a mine is an industrial area that is vulnerable to mishaps, at least 8 employees of NLCIL were posted on duty, in two shifts, to supervise the shooting.
“We are aware that the cost of the man days, involving 8 of our officials, is not more expensive than the money we charge for the shooting,” the official, who preferred not to be quoted, added.
‘Ulterior motive’
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.S. Alagiri said that the I-T searches at Vijay’s properties had an ulterior motive and the actor should not be afraid of these raids if they were aimed at silencing his criticism of the BJP and the AIADMK governments through his films.
Mr. Alagiri said, “If the BJP government thinks that it can silence Vijay’s freedom of expression, it will only be a daydream.”
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