Power Struggles, Housing Irregularities & Autocracy Allegations: Tollywood's 24 Crafts System Plunges into Turmoil as Unions Appeal to Film Chamber!
The internal fabric of the Telugu film industry’s 24 crafts labour framework is facing one of its fiercest storms in recent memory. A coalition of cine workers' representatives, union leaders, and activist groups gathered at the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce in Hyderabad, submitting a comprehensive formal representation to Chamber Secretary Ashok Kumar.
The joint delegation—comprising members of the Chitrapuri Sadhana Samiti, 24 Crafts–Chitrapuri Colony victims' representatives, Telangana JAC Film Wing, Osmania University delegates, and the Telangana Cinema Vedika—demanded immediate intervention against alleged autocratic governance within the Tollywood Film Employees Federation (Telugu Film Workers Federation), alongside a sweeping inquiry into long-standing housing and financial disputes in Chitrapuri Colony.
Calls for Accountability and Severe Action
Leading the charge, noted activist and senior journalist Pasham Yadagiri delivered a fiery denunciation, demanding statutory intervention:
"The foundational ethos of labour unions in Telangana is being compromised. Strict legal cases must be registered, and Federation President Vallabhaneni Anil must be held accountable and sent to jail. Exploitative elements and fraudsters who deceive working-class technicians must not be tolerated."
— Pasham Yadagiri
Echoing the urgency, former General Secretary of the Directors Association Maddineni Ramesh alleged that monopolistic tendencies are eroding the autonomy of the 24 crafts:
-
Subversion of Democratic Rights: Ramesh asserted that internal meddling is destabilizing individual bodies like the Dancers Union, Women Workers Union, and the Production Executives Managers Union.
-
Electoral Manipulations: Allegations were raised regarding the flow of unaccounted funds and vote-influencing maneuvers during union and federation elections, with critics claiming dissenters are sidelined to plant handpicked loyalists.
-
Welfare of 26,000 Technicians at Stake: Representatives emphasized that the livelihoods of over 26,000 registered workers depend on a transparent, democratic federation rather than unilateral decisions by a few individuals.
The Chitrapuri Housing Dispute: Allegations Over Inquiries & Allotments
At the epicenter of the grievance lies the Chitrapuri Housing Society, intended to provide affordable shelter to genuine, low-income film technicians:
-
Unverified ₹110-Crore Irregularities: Chitrapuri Sadhana Samiti representative Dr. Kasthuri Srinivas highlighted earlier inquiry documents that pointed toward alleged financial anomalies amounting to nearly ₹110 crore, demanding that findings from the 2020–2025 inquiry report be published without suppression. (Note: These alleged financial figures remain subject to formal audit verification and ongoing regulatory or judicial scrutiny.)
-
The 1,300 Non-Member Allotment Question: Critics raised procedural objections over voter registries and home possession grants, demanding that property registrations be frozen until transparent verification determines whether genuine technicians or non-eligible individuals received allotments.
-
Absence of General Body Meetings: The delegation flagged that mandatory General Body meetings have not been convened within the prescribed statutory timelines post-inquiry.
Dancers Union Standoff: Gender Representation & Non-Cooperation Orders
Adding fuel to the broader confrontation, V.V. Sumalatha Devi, the first woman elected as President of the Telugu Film and TV Dancers and Dance Directors Association in three decades, voiced sharp objections against the Federation's top brass:
-
Interference in Internal Governance: Sumalatha Devi alleged that Federation President Anil Kumar and Secretary Rayapalli Prasad have exerted sustained bureaucratic pressure to undermine her leadership after she questioned operational irregularities.
-
Revocation of Boycotts Demanded: She also called for the withdrawal of the non-cooperation and suspension directives previously levied against prominent choreographer Jani Master, arguing for fair, unbiased dispute resolution.
All Eyes on the Film Chamber’s Next Move
The meeting witnessed the participation of prominent union delegates including Hema Jilloju, Kalagara Sudheer, Bheem Reddy, Gurram Raju, Osmania Nagesh, Shiva Shankar Patel, Thota Haritha, and Thadivelu.
With the memorandum officially placed in the hands of the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, pressure is mounting on industry elders, the Telangana State Film Development Corporation (TSFDC), the Cinematography Department, and the Cooperation Department to initiate an independent audit and restore operational transparency across Tollywood’s union ecosystem.
