15 May,2026 07:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kamal Haasan (Instagram)
Veteran actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan has appealed to the Indian film fraternity to come together amid the growing global economic uncertainty caused by the continuing crisis in West Asia. In a detailed note shared on social media, the actor expressed concern about the impact rising fuel, logistics, and production costs could have on the cinema industry and the livelihoods connected to it.
Addressing filmmakers, producers, actors, distributors, OTT platforms, exhibitors, unions, and workers, Kamal wrote, "The continuing crisis in West Asia is deepening and the world is facing growing pressure on energy, trade, logistics, and economic stability. India too is inevitably feeling the impact of rising fuel, energy, logistics, and production costs."
He pointed out that the industry is already struggling with escalating budgets and uneven recovery after the pandemic. According to Kamal, rising inflation could also affect audience spending on entertainment in the coming months.
"The burden will inevitably fall on producers, workers, theatres, distributors, financiers, and the entire ecosystem. If cinema must continue to grow, we must ensure that every rupee spent serves the film, and not merely the appearance of scale," he wrote.
However, Kamal strongly clarified that workers should never bear the consequences of economic corrections. He stressed that wages, safety, dignity, food, accommodation, transport, and humane working conditions must remain protected.
The actor also criticised unnecessary luxury spending, inflated entourage culture, excessive foreign shoots, and poor production planning. In one of the most talked-about sections of his note, Kamal questioned the industry's obsession with overseas filming locations.
"Why must every love story bloom only in Paris, and every honeymoon end in Switzerland? Romance, fortunately, does not require foreign exchange. Indian cinema, and Indians, deserve a little more confidence in themselves and our beautiful country," he stated.
Calling for collective action, Kamal urged the industry to adopt sustainable filmmaking practices through tighter schedules, smarter budgeting, reduced luxury expenses, energy conservation, and reuse of production materials.
"Extravagance has often been mistaken for scale. But some of our greatest films were made not with excess, but with clarity, discipline, and conviction," he added.
Concluding the note, Kamal emphasised that cinema carries responsibilities beyond entertainment and urged the industry to place national interest above personal interest during challenging times.
