A devastating fire ripped through the set of the popular television serial Anupamaa in Mumbai’s Film City early Friday morning. The blaze, which ignited around 5:00 AM, completely consumed the set a mere two hours before filming was slated to begin. Fortunately, despite workers and crew already being on site for preparations, no casualties were reported. However, had the shoot commenced on schedule, the outcome could have been far more tragic, potentially resulting in injuries or even fatalities.
This incident is not isolated; it’s another alarming addition to a concerning trend of frequent fires in Mumbai’s film studios. This pattern starkly highlights the persistent negligence of production teams and authorities in upholding fundamental fire safety standards. Industry insiders often point fingers at studios for sidestepping crucial fire audits, thereby endangering hundreds of daily workers and artists. The recent inferno nearly spread to adjacent sets, narrowly averting a much larger catastrophe.
In the wake of this serious event, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has taken a resolute stance. The association has formally urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate a high-level judicial inquiry into the fire. Furthermore, AICWA is demanding the immediate suspension of both the Managing Director of Film City and Mumbai’s Labour Commissioner. The association holds them accountable for failing to enforce fire safety protocols and for allegedly allowing producers to bypass mandatory precautions through either inaction or complicity.
AICWA is pushing for a criminal FIR to be filed not only against the production house and television channel responsible for Anupamaa but also against Film City management and the Labour Department. The association has even raised unsettling concerns that the fire might have been deliberately set to facilitate false insurance claims—a grave possibility that, if substantiated, would reveal a horrifying disregard for human life.
Investigation should be carried out, agree?
