Bollywood's hidden crisis: Why hundreds behind the camera are fighting to survive

"Industry ek daldal hai," says makeup artist Amu Thevar, who has spent more than two decades working in Bollywood. Over the years, she has seen work opportunities shrink, payments get delayed, and in some cases never arrive at all, and earnings fall for many people working behind the camera. Her experience shows a growing concern across the entertainment industry.

While audiences see stars on red carpet, premieres and box-office numbers, many writers, assistant directors, makeup artists, editors, lightmen, production assistants, technicians and suppliers, the backbone of every film, television show and web series, are currently struggling with fewer projects, shrinking incomes and delayed payments. Many say the industry's glamour often hides the financial struggles faced by the people who keep it running.

To understand whether the crisis is really as severe as the numbers suggest, ET spoke to writers, directors, producers, technicians and labour representatives who have witnessed the industry's transformation over the years. Their accounts reveal an industry in transition, where old business models are changing, new ones remain uncertain, and those working behind the scenes are often paying a heavy price.

Not all is well in Bollywood: A payment crisis hiding behind the glamour

Delayed payments emerged as one of the most common complaints.

Roopal Kewalya, the screenwriter behind Netflix's Tooth Pari and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, pointed to the approval-based payment system used in many contracts.

"Because approval means you can keep doing three drafts, four drafts, there's no limit on the number of drafts that we do. And it can be months before we see the next payment." According to her, writers often continue working without knowing when the next instalment will arrive.

"It should be a policy. If you're working, you need to be paid."

Kausha Lodaliya, a Mumbai-based makeup artist who has worked in the industry for nearly eight years, said delayed payments have become a major challenge: "They say they will pay or do something like this, they promise, but they don't end up doing that." The uncertainty has become so severe that she now focuses more on bridal assignments than celebrity projects.

However, she feels the problem is not just the lack of work. It is also the changing nature of work. Newcomers trying to build their portfolios are often willing to work for free in exchange for social media visibility and celebrity tags. While that helps them gain exposure, experienced professionals say it has pushed down rates across the industry.

Makeup artist Amber also said rates for junior professionals have steadily declined over the years. "Earlier, when someone was hired for a project, a substantial amount would be agreed upon between the director and the production house. But for people working under them, we would initially be told that we would be paid around Rs 5,000. Gradually, that amount has come down, and now in many cases people are not getting more than Rs 2,000, with travel expenses being separate. Sometimes, even after completing the work, the payments don't arrive at all. We have faced that situation too."

Besides this, the financial strain is especially difficult in the city of dreams, Mumbai, where living expenses continue to rise. Rent, transport, and daily costs have increased steadily over the years, but many workers whose incomes are linked to Bollywood say their earnings have either remained stagnant or fallen compared to five years ago. For freelancers, especially those who depend on project-based work, irregular payments only make the situation harder.

Many newcomers who move to Mumbai in search of opportunities have had to return home after a few years because they are unable to secure consistent work and income. Director Dheeraj Jindal, who directed award-winning short films including The School Bag and Momo Deal, said, "Right now, what has happened is that for a big segment, survival has become a luxury now."

Even a recent report by The Top India, based on conversations with more than 1,000 professionals associated with film and television production, found that many workers have seen their incomes fall by 50% to 60%.

However, according to a Ormax box office report, Bollywood’s earnings grew to Rs 5,504 crore in 2025, an 18% rise as compared to 2024, mainly driven by Dhurandhar, Chhaava and Saiyaara.

FWICE paints an even grimmer picture

While workers talk of a slowdown, president of Bollywood workers’ federation FWICE B.N. Tiwari sees it as a crisis. "Bilkul sahi hai ye numbers kyuki 20-20 ghante kaam karaya jaa raha hai aur 8 ghante ki payment mil rahi hai." (These numbers are absolutely accurate because workers are being made to work 20-hour shifts while being paid for only 8 hours. )

He said the federation is currently handling around 400 payment-related disputes. "To get our own money, we have to keep requesting, following up, and negotiating settlements." He believes accountability has weakened as the industry has changed.

"In fact, there are many producers from different verticals who appear and disappear without a trace. Producers themselves are vanishing. They take three months' time, many of them are not even registered, and practically anyone can become a producer. The people who suffer the most in this situation are the workers, especially the technicians working behind the scenes."

Tiwari says that the problem has become far more serious in recent years. He said many structural changes have created several challenges for workers and technicians. While the industry continues to grow, he believes the biggest burden is being borne by those working behind the scenes.

According to him, earlier there was usually a single producer responsible for a production. But as many corporates entered the industry, many in-between layers have emerged and it is difficult to know who is the real decision-maker.

The slowdown many insiders saw it coming

For many people working in the industry, the current crisis did not begin this year.

Director Dheeraj Jindal believes the shift began after the arrival of OTT platforms and accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As audiences became comfortable watching content at home, streaming platforms aggressively invested in films and web series. For a brief period, the industry experienced a boom. OTT platforms were buying projects across budgets and genres, while producers had multiple avenues to recover costs.

That landscape has changed dramatically.

According to Jindal, OTT platforms have drastically reduced commissioning and acquisitions. Smaller films are struggling to attract audiences in theatres, while platforms have become increasingly selective about what they buy.

Television is facing pressure from streaming and YouTube while advertising budgets have shrunk, the director said. Social media content has become cheaper and more frequent, while the rise of micro dramas has added another layer of competition, he added.

Ad films that once operated on budgets of Rs 50-70 lakh are now often being produced for Rs 3-5 lakh as brands want more content at lower costs, leaving fewer resources available across the production chain, he said. The impact has been felt across the industry.

Actors vs workers income

Moreover, Dheeraj believes the pain is not being felt equally across the industry. "Yes, a crew is affected, for sure. Even as actors are affected, their fees have gone down. But, say, if you reduce from Rs 60 crore to 50 crore, it won't have any effect on their lifestyle. Correct? So that effect is there, but they are not impacted by it."

Over the last few years, filmmakers and producers, including Karan Johar, Subhash Ghai and Zoya Akhtar, have raised concerns about rising production costs. Speaking during Twin Encounter in 2024, Farah Khan also pointed to the growing expense of celebrity entourages, saying large personal teams accompanying actors add significantly to budgets without contributing to what appears on screen.

Industry estimates suggest entourage expenses can account for 10-12% of a film's production budget, often crossing Rs 20 lakh a day on large projects.

A structural change, not a temporary setback

Many industry insiders no longer view the slowdown as a temporary phase. Screenwriter Roopal believes part of the uncertainty is also coming from how producers are investing today. She said that while producers once spread their investments across a range of projects, much of the money is now concentrated in a few big-budget films, increasing risks at a time when the business is already facing major changes due to OTT platforms and evolving technology.

Producer Anand Pandit, known for backing films such as Chehre, The Big Bull, and Sarkar 3, acknowledged these concerns and said the industry needs an honest conversation about them. He explained that producers have become more cautious because satellite and digital rights no longer guarantee strong returns before release. With OTT deals increasingly linked to theatrical performance, budgets are under greater scrutiny. Every rupee, as he put it, spent now has to create visible value on screen.

The demand for reform

Many of the people ET spoke to agreed that stronger labour protections, payment systems and welfare measures are needed. "It should be policy. If you're working, you need to be paid," screenwriter Kewalya said.

Bollywood workers body president BN Tiwari shared similar concerns. "Paper par bohot cheezein hoti hai. But aam aadmi tak woh khushi kab pahochegi, ye intezaar karte karte 5 saal bhi beet jaatein hain." ("There are many promises and policies on paper, but ordinary people often end up waiting years to see any real benefit from them." )

Producer Ashok Pandit believes better welfare systems can help provide greater stability. For now, however, uncertainty continues to define life for many workers behind the scenes.

As screenwriter Roppal Kewalya simply puts it, "So all of us who are here right now are here because of the passion which can only take us that far. The day we have to choose between passion and livelihood..."