The research attempts to uncover the exploitative practices, informal organizational structures, and socio-economic risks associated with the employment status of junior artistes and low-level technicians within the regional Indian film industry, with a specific emphasis on the Malabar Cinema Industry. Using recent investigations on the matter, especially those carried out by the Justice Hema Committee, this paper discusses how the very nature of the film production process, namely, being document-less and project-based, enables employers to bypass legal employment guidelines, thus leading to long working hours, late payments, and the lack of basic hygienic conditions at the workplace. Another important issue under discussion is the mental health aspect of media labor, particularly, how 'aspirational motivation' is used to rationalize the poor quality of employees' life and working conditions. In particular, the paper shows that the power structure and fear of blacklisting in the sector prevent junior employees from voicing their grievances. As a result, these workers are forced to engage in continuous economic marginalization and turn to unorganized labor. Hence, the research demonstrates that further academic attention needs to be paid to this area and HRM practices should be established in order to ensure workers' protection.