Cine Workers Body Seeks FIR and Probe After Major Fire Halts Shoots at Mumbai Film City

A major fire broke out at Mumbai's Film City on the set of the reality show Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2, halting shoot schedules across the complex. The blaze started at around four in the afternoon on October 5 at Prime Focus Studio in Goregaon. From there, the fire spread to the adjoining set of MTV Hustle 5, where the grand finale was being shot.

Action and Demands

Following the incident, the All Indian Cine Workers Association approached Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with a formal letter dated October 6. AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta demanded a time-bound inquiry, an FIR for alleged negligence against the makers, and the resignation of Film City's managing director. The association also urged authorities to mandate fire audits, trained safety staff, and firefighting equipment for every production, with licences cancelled for those that fail to comply. Copies of the letter were also sent to other state officials including Labour Minister Akash Fundkar, State Home Minister Yogesh Kadam, and BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide.

Impact on Workers

The association stated that the disruption brought shooting to a halt for an entire day, affecting popular shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati alongside various television serials and films. The resulting financial losses ran into lakhs of rupees for producers. AICWA highlighted that daily-wage workers, technicians, and small artists bore the heaviest blow because a day without shooting meant losing a day's wages. Meanwhile, the Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 team maintained that the fire broke out outside their sets and that no shooting was taking place at the time. The MTV Hustle team confirmed that artistes were present when the fire started but stated everyone remained safe.

Context

Film City in Mumbai is a massive hub for television and film production where numerous large sets operate simultaneously close to one another. Safety regulations and fire audits are critical in such densely packed studio environments to prevent rapid spread when accidents happen.