"Anupamaa" set gutted by massive fire in Mumbai's Film City; AICWA demands FIR against production

A massive fire ripped through and completely destroyed the set of the popular television show "Anupamaa" at Film City in Goregaon, Mumbai, in the early hours of Monday, June 23. The blaze, which erupted around 5 AM, two hours before the scheduled shoot, caused extensive damage but, fortunately, resulted in no injuries. Fire brigade officials were alerted around 6 AM and managed to douse the fire after several hours, though the cause remains under investigation.

Following the devastating incident, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) swiftly released a strong statement, condemning what it termed "ongoing negligence" in the industry. The AICWA has demanded immediate and stringent action, including the suspension of the Managing Director of Film City and the Labour Commissioner of Mumbai, holding them accountable for allegedly failing to enforce safety regulations. The association claims that their "collusion and willful negligence" allow producers to disregard mandatory fire safety protocols, endangering thousands of workers' lives.

In a separate post on X, AICWA President Suresh Shyamlal Gupta called upon Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to order a high-level judicial inquiry into the fire. The association has also pushed for a criminal FIR to be filed against the producers, the production house, the television channel, as well as the aforementioned Film City Managing Director and Labour Commissioner.

Adding a grave dimension to their demands, the AICWA has urged the investigation to explore the possibility that the fire was "deliberately set by the producers or the channel in order to illegitimately claim insurance." The association concluded its demands by calling for any production house or channel found violating fire safety norms to be blacklisted with immediate effect, emphasizing the need for comprehensive fire safety audits across all film sets and studios in Maharashtra.