Understanding GST and Taxation for Cinema Gig Workers in India

## The Tax Conversation No One Wants to Have If you’re earning above a certain threshold as a freelancer, you need to deal with GST and income tax — whether you like it or not. ### Current reality (2026) - GST registration is required if your annual turnover crosses ₹20 lakhs (₹10 lakhs in some states) - You can claim input tax credit on equipment and professional expenses - Many productions now prefer vendors with proper GST registration ### Practical advice Keep clean records of every gig. Use a simple spreadsheet or accounting app. Set aside 15–20% of every payment for taxes. The crew members who treat this professionally have fewer problems during audits and get faster payments from serious productions. Ignoring taxes doesn’t make them go away. It just makes them more expensive later.