Tamil actor Nasser issued a statement debunking the claim that only Tamil artists will be allowed to perform in the film industry. His statement on July 27, comes after Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, stated that the Tamil industry be more inclusive. Speaking at a promotional event, Pawan Kalyan said, “I heard about a new rule that Tamil cinema should have only Tamil artists. One should come out of such a narrow mindset and think big. Then, the Tamil industry can also deliver global films like RRR.” The Telugu actor was referring to the new rules introduced by the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) which stated that Tamil films must employ only Tamil artists.
In a 2 minute video, Nasser clarified that the new rule was to protect the rights of workers in the film industry and does not apply to actors and other talent. He said, “We are now in the era of pan Indian and global films. We need actors and talent from other language industries. To protect the workers in the Tamil film industry, Mr Selvamani [the head of FEFSI] has taken a decision to employ Tamil people for films that are made inside the boundaries of Tamil Nadu. It is about workers rights and not about talent.”
Stating that Tamil Nadu has a rich history of actors and talent from other language industries, Nasser said that he would be one of the first people to oppose the rule if something like that was put in place. He added, “The statement is misinterpreted and mischievous. The Tamil industry has a long tradition where actors from other industries are invited and encouraged and loved. From SV Ranga Rao to Savitri amma, we have had a long history of artists from other languages working with us. So my dear fraternity, please don’t take this information seriously, it is not right. Let us make great films together and take it globally.”
SIAA President #Nasser brushes aside reports that claimed artists from other languages will not be entertained in Tamil films. During an event, actor #PawanaKalyan said that Tamil film Industry should be inclusive & if it remains restricted to Tamils, it's growth will be limited. pic.twitter.com/NJOVexFCrf
— Janardhan Koushik (@koushiktweets) July 27, 2023