‘Love and War’ controversy: AICWA seeks FIR against Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rs 1 crore compensation for the deceased
The death of a worker on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film ‘Love and War’ has sparked a huge controversy. Now, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has demanded an FIR against the director and an investigation into the incident.
AICWA writes to Maharashtra CM, demanding FIR against Sanjay Leela Bhansali
In an official letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, AICWA’s Gupta sought registration of an FIR against Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the production house, and all individuals found responsible for the worker’s death. According to the NDTV report, the association noted the lack of clarity around the incident, noting that “full and verified details regarding their condition and the exact circumstances of the event have not yet been clearly determined.”
“In a call for a “thorough, impartial and high-level investigation”, the AICWA said the incident raised serious concerns about workplace safety on film sets. “If the required safety measures had been strictly applied and implemented, this tragic accident could have been avoided,” the letter said.Yadav is survived by his wife and two minor daughters. AICWA has demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family, along with employment or financial assistance to his widow and long-term financial support for the future security of his daughters.
The association also urged the Maharashtra government to halt all shooting activities at the site until a comprehensive safety audit is completed and mandatory safety standards are approved by the relevant authorities.
What happened on the set of “Love and War”?
Carpenter Chandradhari Singh Yadav, 42, reportedly died on June 17 while shooting for ‘Love and War’ at Royal Pump studio near Film City in Mumbai. While the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) had earlier stated that Yadav died after suffering an electric shock, AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta has now contradicted this account.
According to the report, Gupta claimed that the worker died after part of the structure or roof collapsed, and claimed that several other workers were also injured in the incident.
Previous incidents on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s sets have been cited
Gupta also cited previous alleged incidents linked to Bhansali’s production, claiming that similar deaths among workers were reported during the production of ‘Devdas’ and ‘Padmaavat’. The AICWA also alleged that film workers are routinely forced to work in unsafe conditions and that inadequate safety supervision significantly increases the risk of accidents during filming.The production house is yet to issue an official response to AICWA’s demands.