CHENNAI: No amount of money can compensate loss of lives. However, a sum of `2 crore from film production company Lyca and `1 crore from actor Kamal Haasan were announced on Thursday for the families of technicians who were killed and the crew members who suffered injuries in a crane collapse on the sets of director Shankar’s Indian 2 on Wednesday night. Following the tragic incident in which three persons were killed and nine others suffered serious injuries, questions are being raised about working conditions and safety of technicians belonging to the film industry.
Kamal Haasan, who visited the Kilpauk Hospital mortuary to meet the family members of the deceased, told reporters, “I have come here because they are family to me. It is shameful that our industry is still not able to ensure good working conditions to all technicians. We boast of big budget films, but I think the entire film fraternity should work towards providing safe working conditions to technicians. That alone can be considered treatment to this tragic incident,” he said.
Kamal also claimed that he had a narrow escape on Wednesday night. “It was hardly four seconds since the director moved away from the spot and had I moved two feet on either side from where I had been standing, I would not be alive today,” he said.A relative of one of the deceased said, “Compared to other States, Tamil Nadu is far behind in providing proper working conditions to technicians. Cranes used to be handled manually. But, a crane from China was used for this shooting and it was the operator’s mistake which caused the death of the three men.
He should have been trained better on handling the equipment.”Lyca production CEO Tamil Kumaran, producer Subaskaran Allirajah and Shankar also consoled the family members of the deceased. Later, speaking to reporters, Tamil Kumaran announced `2 crore compensation to the family members of the deceased and the injured. Asked about working conditions on the set, he said the team has taken all safety measures and everything has been covered under insurance.
From the family
A relative of a deceased person alleged thatTamil film industry lagged far behind in providing safe working conditions for its technicians. And it was the crane operator’s mistake which led to the accident.
Actor Kamal Haasan also claimed that he narrowly escaped the accident as he was only a few feet away from the site of crane crash