Kolkata, Dec. 4 -- Behind all the glitter of the film industry lies a world most people don't see - uncertainty of work, long hours, constant pressure to look a certain way and the fear of fading fame. With almost everyone working on a project basis, the film world is essentially a freelance ecosystem. So mental exhaustion is almost inevitable.
The situation has felt even more urgent in the last two weeks, after two cinematographers from the Bengali film industry committed suicide. At this critical moment, the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India has partnered with the Psychiatry Department of SSKM Hospital to offer mental health support for technicians and actors in the Bengali film and TV industry.
On Thursday, Federation president Swarup Biswas announced that mental health experts from SSKM will visit the Federation office three times a month for consultations. He stressed that the identity and details of anyone seeking help will be kept strictly confidential. "The Federation is only acting as a bridge between our industry and SSKM. We've lost two technicians in the last few days and we feel mental health needs urgent attention, especially because of the uncertainty our people face," he said. Biswas also mentioned that the Federation will assist technicians who require advanced psychiatric treatment at SSKM. National Award-winning filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly welcomed the move. "We enter this profession out of passion, knowing very well how uncertain it is. This initiative by the Federation will help many of us," he said.
Dr Amit Kumar Bhattacharyya, Professor and Head of the Psychiatry Department at SSKM Hospital, said the initiative would send an important message about prioritising mental health. "In the film industry, along with financial stress, maintaining an image becomes crucial. We will be happy to support those dealing with any form of mental strain," he added.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.