COVID-19: Netflix donates Rs 7.5Cr to help daily wage workers in India

Mumbai: Streaming platform Netflix on Saturday announced that it will contribute Rs 7.5 crore to Producers Guild of India (PGI) Relief Fund to help daily wage earners in the entertainment industry in the country.

This fund, which was set up last month by PGI, will provide emergency short term relief to thousands of daily wage earners in the Indian creative community, who have been directly impacted by the closure of film, TV and web productions in the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re grateful to be working with the Producers Guild of India to support the hardest-hit workers in TV and film production – from electricians to carpenters, hair and makeup artists to spot boys. Crews in India have always been vital to Netflix’s success and now we want to do our part and help those who most need support in these unprecedented times,” Netflix spokesperson said in a statement.

Siddharth Roy Kapur, President, Producers Guild of India said, he values Netflix’s contribution to the fund.

In addition to this, in India, Netflix has also committed up to four weeks of pay to help all core below-the-line crew and cast who were scheduled to work on the streamer’s productions in India, which were forced to be suspended due to coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, Netflix announced USD 100 million fund to help the creative community across the world.

While most of the fund is pledged towards supporting the hardest hit workers on Netflix productions around the world, USD 15 million of the fund will go to third parties and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work crew and cast in the countries where Netflix has a large production base. The platform’s Rs 7.5 crore contribution to PGI fund is part of this USD 15 million fund.