New Delhi, April 12 -- Film and OTT production companies are bracing for a likely rise in crew costs and overall production budgets as the new labour codes aim to bring gig and freelance workers under formal protections.

Stricter regulation of working hours and the requirement for overtime pay could materially raise per-day crew costs, particularly in film production, where shoots often run 12 to 16 hours, experts said. These expenses come at a time when studios are struggling to curb budgets amid the unpredictable, largely volatile box office and cautious commissioning by streaming platforms.

While the actual increase could vary depending on the scale and size of projects, industry experts estimate a 15-20% rise in costs for production...