Carpenter's Death Sparks Safety Demands on Film Sets

A tragic accident on the set of the film 'Love & War' at Royal Pump Studio in Goregaon (East) resulted in the death of 42-year-old carpenter Chandradhari Yadav. The incident occurred around 3 am on June 17 and is initially believed to be a result of a short circuit, pending a post-mortem report. The deceased is survived by his wife and two daughters.

In response to the tragedy, film industry bodies, including the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and FSSAMU, approached the film's producers. Bhansali's production house has offered ₹40 lakh in financial assistance to Chandradhari's family. They have also requested the producer to support the children's education and offered employment to the wife.

FWICE president BN Tiwari emphasized the broader issues of worker exploitation, noting that workers often exceed the mandated eight to ten hours. He stated that their next steps will be determined after the post-mortem report, asserting that workers' lives should not be jeopardized regardless of the film's scale or producer's stature.

Industry leaders are renewing their demands for mandatory safety audits, electrical safety compliance, and government intervention. They have previously appealed to producer bodies, studios, and authorities for regular safety checks on sets, citing risks to the 150-200 workers often present. Concerns about timely overtime payments and adherence to labor laws have also been raised with government offices.