Bollywood fumes over increased service tax

With 12.36 percent service tax coming into force from Monday, Bollywood stars and filmmakers are obviously mighty upset. TOI brings you some of the reactions…

‘Really sad!’
Shraddha Kapoor
My parents handle my finances, but I am really worried that this added tax would burden us actors in a big way. It’s really sad, but I guess we have no option but to pay and abide by government’s diktat. But, it’s really not done!

‘We are a dying breed’
Kashmera Shah
I think we are a dying breed and very few of us actually make money. Why don’t they tax the labs and doctors who charge a bomb to treat a malady like fever. We only entertain people, so spare us!

‘A big setback’
Payal Rohatgi
Our profession is so uncertain. Today I have a reality show, but I may not have another reality show for next eight months. So, this extra burden is really going to cut into my hard-earned income! If they are charging us extra, the government may as well relax our tax bracket from 10 lakhs to 15 lakhs. It really hurts to pay so much!

‘I’m upset’
Adaa Khan
I’m really upset! It’s really not fair that we actors are taxed so heavily and ever so often! We guys work day and night. So, it hurts when we have to pay through our nose these extra taxes, over and above the income tax!

‘Should we loot the banks?’
Rakhi Sawant
We are not SRK or Aamir Khan, who are earning in crores. Despite working so hard, we have no savings because there are so many overheads and EMIs to be paid. Now the government is forcing us to tread the wrong path! Should we loot the banks? After farmers, stars will now commit suicide!

Bollywood started a crusade against this extra burden on twitter too…

Sonam Kapoor
Really more tax. This government sucks. Corrupt and useless.

Farah Khan
N just as iv turned ‘actress,’ the govt. has decided 2 also charge 12.5%service tax 2 all actors! This is tooo much. Kitna nichodogey yaar?

Divya Dutta
Imposing 12.5% service tax on actors is the most ridiculous decision ever taken! ‘They’ have no idea how some of the actors survive in this tough terrain of our profession. We are as much employed professionals as any in any field ..I strongly appeal every one of our faculty to stand ‘tall’ against the implementation of such injustice.

Mahesh Bhatt
The state will ‘control’ and ‘manipulate’ us under the name of ‘larger good’ to maintain status quo.

Arshad Warsi
Very soon, all actors’ payment will go directly to the Govt n they will start giving us the little percent that is left for us as salary. Meri kamai govt ke khaddey mein ja rahi hai jo mere ghar ke bahar hai… Izzat toh lut hi rahi hai aur khatiya bhi saath lana pad raha hai