A fire on the set of Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2 at Mumbai’s Film City has put the spotlight back on safety standards on television sets. The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, calling for a high-level inquiry into the incident and legal action against the makers of the show and the channel.
The fire broke out at around 4 PM on October 5 on the set of Colors’ reality show Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2, which was constructed inside Prime Focus Studio at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon. According to AICWA’s letter, the flames spread to the adjoining set of MTV’s Hustle, putting workers and artists at the studio at risk.
AICWA raises questions over fire safety
AICWA has alleged that the Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set did not have adequate fire safety arrangements in place when the blaze broke out. The association said a large number of workers and artists were present at the time, raising serious concerns about how such a set was allowed to operate without what it describes as basic safety measures.
The fire also disrupted production at Film City. AICWA said shooting for Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2 and other television shows, including Kaun Banega Crorepati, was halted on Tuesday.
For daily-wage workers, a cancelled shoot can mean an immediate loss of income. Technicians, junior artists and other crew members are often paid according to the number of days they work. AICWA pointed out that the shutdown therefore affected not just production schedules but also the earnings of workers who depend on these shoots. Producers, meanwhile, faced losses over sets and other production costs.
What AICWA has demanded
In its letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, AICWA has put forward four demands. First, it has sought a thorough and time-bound investigation into how the fire started, why it spread and why proper fire safety measures were allegedly missing. The association has also demanded an FIR for negligence against the channel, producer and production house.
AICWA has further called for the resignation of the Managing Director of Film City. It has also asked the authorities to make fire audits, trained fire safety staff and firefighting equipment mandatory for every shoot, with licences cancelled if productions fail to follow the required safety measures.
The letter, signed by AICWA President Er. Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, was also marked to Labour Minister Akash Fundkar, State Home Minister Yogesh Ramdas Kadam, State Labour Minister Ashish Jaiswal, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti.
AICWA says Film City fires are not isolated incidents
AICWA has taken a strong position on the incident, arguing that the problem goes beyond one set or one production. The association accused channels, producers and production houses of repeatedly putting workers at risk by failing to spend on basic fire safety.
“Mumbai’s Film City is burning again, and as always, no one is being held accountable. Fire after fire, year after year, thousands of workers and artists are pushed into danger by channels, producers and production houses that refuse to spend on basic fire safety to save a few rupees. The sets go up in flames, the poor workers pay the price, and those who profit walk away without a single consequence. Fires in Film City are not accidents. They are the result of greed, negligence and a system that has never punished the guilty,” the letter read.
The association also questioned Film City management’s role, arguing that the studios operate within the Film City premises and that the management was aware that productions were taking place there. “The Managing Director of Film City therefore bears full responsibility for this failure,” the letter stated.
AICWA has warned that unless responsibility is fixed, such incidents could continue. The association has urged the government to take action before another fire puts the lives of workers and artists at risk. “AICWA urges you to act without delay so that the lives of cine workers are given the safety they deserve,” the letter concluded.
No casualties reported
No injuries or casualties have been reported so far. According to AICWA, the fire broke out at around 4 PM on Monday on the Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set before spreading to the adjoining Hustle set.
Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2 is hosted by Sonali Bendre and Munawar Faruqui. The association is now seeking government intervention and accountability. CM Devendra Fadnavis is yet to respond to AICWA’s demands, including its call for an inquiry, an FIR and stricter fire safety measures across Film City.