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A day after a major fire broke out at Mumbai’s Film City, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has approached Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding a time-bound inquiry, an FIR for alleged negligence and the resignation of Film City’s managing director.
In a letter dated October 6, AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta said the fire broke out at around 4 pm on October 5 on the set of Colors channel’s reality show Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2 at Prime Focus Studio in Goregaon and spread to the adjoining set of Hustle.
The association has also sought mandatory fire audits, on-set fire safety staff and firefighting equipment for every production at Film City, with licences cancelled for productions that fail to comply. AICWA said the fire brought shooting across much of Film City to a halt, affecting Kaun Banega Crorepati, several television serials and films, and causing losses running into lakhs of rupees.
Fire on Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set halts shooting across Film City; AICWA submits letter to Chief Minister
Mumbai: A fire on the set of the reality show Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2 at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari (Film City) halted shooting across most of Film City. Shooting of KBC and many serials and films remained stopped for the entire day, and everyone involved suffered losses.
The biggest blow fell on daily-wage workers, technicians and small artists. They are paid per day, so a day without shooting means a day’s wages lost for many of them. Producers also lost the full day’s set and shoot expenses.
AICWA estimates that the fire caused losses running into lakhs of rupees across Film City.
All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) President Suresh Shyamlal Gupta has submitted a letter on the incident to the following:
•Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis
•Honourable Labour Minister, Shri Akash Fundkar
•Honourable State Home Minister, Shri Yogesh Kadam
•Honourable State Labour Minister, Shri Ashish Jaiswal
•Honourable BMC Commissioner, Shri Ashwini Bhide| #AICWA | #AllIndianCineWorkersAssociation | #PatiPatniAurPanga | #Hustle | #Bollywood | #Filmcity |
| @Dev_Fadnavis | @advakash | @iYogeshRKadam | @Ashishjaisw3Adv | @AshwiniBhide | @DevenBhartiIPS | @ShelarAshish | @ANI | @PTI_News | @ians_india | @CMOMaharashtra | @sureshsgupta |
— All Indian Cine Workers Association (@aicwaofficial) October 6, 2026
AICWA demands inquiry, FIR after Film City fire
In the letter addressed to Devendra Fadnavis, AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta said the blaze did not remain confined to the Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2 set and spread to the adjoining Hustle set, putting workers and artistes in the complex at risk.
AICWA has made four demands: a “thorough, time-bound inquiry” into how the fire started, why it spread and why fire safety arrangements were allegedly not in place; an FIR for negligence against the channel, producer and production house; the resignation of Film City’s managing director; and mandatory fire audits, trained fire safety staff and firefighting equipment at every shoot.
The association has also sought cancellation of the licence of any production that fails to comply with the required safety measures.
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‘This is not an accident, it is criminal negligence’
AICWA alleged that the Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set had been operating without adequate fire safety arrangements.
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“There were no fire safety arrangements whatsoever on the set of Pati Patni Aur Panga Season 2, which is why the fire broke out and spread. A large number of workers and artists were working on a set that had been left completely unprotected. This is not an accident, it is criminal negligence,” the letter stated.
The association further alleged that Film City management was aware that sets were operating without basic safety measures.
“The studios stand inside Film City, and the management knew well that sets were running without basic fire safety. The Managing Director of Film City therefore bears full responsibility for this failure,” AICWA said.
These are allegations made by the workers’ body and have not yet been established through an official inquiry.
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Fire disrupts shooting across Film City
AICWA said shooting across most of Film City remained halted for the entire day.
Shoot schedules for KBC, along with several television serials and films, were affected. The association estimated that the disruption resulted in losses running into lakhs of rupees across Film City.
AICWA particularly highlighted the impact on daily-wage workers, technicians and junior artists, who lose a day’s income when shooting is cancelled.
“The biggest blow fell on daily-wage workers, technicians and small artists. They are paid per day, so a day without shooting means a day’s wages lost for many of them. Producers also lost the full day’s set and shoot expenses,” the association said.
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AICWA sends letter to multiple authorities
While Fadnavis is the primary recipient of the letter, AICWA has also marked copies to several other Maharashtra authorities. These include Labour Minister Akash Fundkar, State Home Minister Yogesh Kadam, State Labour Minister Ashish Jaiswal, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti.
The association concluded its letter by urging the authorities to act immediately.
“Unless accountability is fixed at the top, these fires will keep coming, and so will the loss of innocent lives. AICWA urges you to act without delay so that the lives of cine workers are given the safety they deserve,” the letter stated.
What did Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 team say?
Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 team told Hindustan Times that the fire broke out outside its sets and that no shooting was taking place there at the time.
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“Yes, there was a fire outside the sets. There is no casualty. Nobody was shooting at the set of Pati Patni Aur Panga. There was no shoot happening,” the team told the publication.
The show is hosted by Sonali Bendre and Munawar Faruqui.
Hustle 5 team confirms artists were present
The fire also affected the adjoining set of MTV Hustle 5, where the grand finale was being shot. The show’s team confirmed that artistes were present when the fire broke out but said everyone was safe.
“All the artistes were there. The fire happened suddenly. As of now, there are no casualties and everyone is safe,” the team told Hindustan Times.
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The team added that everyone evacuated the set after the fire broke out.
No casualties or injuries have been reported following the Film City fire. The exact cause of the blaze remains unknown.
