Early Monday morning, on June 23 at 5 am, fire broke out on the set of Rupali Ganguly’s hit TV show Anupamaa. The accident took place in Goregaon Film City in Mumbai. The Anupamaa set was located behind the Marathi Bigg Boss set in Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, with the surrounding sets having barely escaped the fire. Reportedly, four fire engines, four jumbo tankers (JT), One Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADFO) and three Station Officers were promptly deployed to control the situation.

The fire broke out two hours before shooting was supposed to start, when the crew was already on set for preparations. Thankfully, no casualties or serious injuries have been reported so far, though the set was completely ruined. The source of the fire is yet to be determined though it has been reported that it may have originated from a tent structure on the set.

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AICWA’s reaction

Addressing this unfortunate incident, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) called for strong action, demanding investigation and accountability. In their X post, AICWA emphasized the repeated outbreaks of fire on film sets due to negligence and failure in implementing the most basic fire safety measures and how this apathy places thousands of lives in danger.

The president of AICWA, Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, called on Maharashtra C.M. Devendra Fadnavis to demand a high-level judicial inquiry into the incident. There was also a demand for the suspension of the Managing Director of Film City and the Labour Commissioner of Mumbai, accusing them of ‘wilful negligence’.

AICWA also asked for a criminal FIR to be filed against the producers, the production house, the television channel, the Film City Managing Director and Labour Commissioner. It was also urged that the investigation into the matter thoroughly explore the possibility of an intentional setting of fire for illegitimate insurance claims.

Other demands included properly verifying if there were any casualties in the tragedy and ensuring there was no cover-up, a comprehensive fire audit of every film set and studio in Maharashtra and backlisting those who were responsible for violating fire safety norms.

“The lives of thousands of daily wage workers, technicians, and artists are not expendable,” AICWA’s statement read. “The system must not wait for another disaster to act. AICWA stands firm in its demand for justice, accountability, and safety for every single individual working behind the scenes of India’s entertainment industry.”