AICWA President criticizes Sanjay Leela Bhansali, labels worker’s death on Love & War Set ‘murder’

Mumbai, June 29 (IANS) The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta slammed filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali over the death of a worker on the set of ‘Love and War.’

Speaking exclusively to IANS, he alleged that the incident was a “murder” caused by the absence of proper safety measures. Gupta demanded that an FIR be registered against Bhansali on murder charges. Suresh also sought Rs. 1 crore in compensation for the victim’s family and called for a comprehensive fire and safety audit of all film sets before shooting resumes.

He stated, “Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a well-known film producer and filmmaker in Bollywood. Everyone knows him. His upcoming film is Love and War, in which big actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and many others are taking Rs 100 crore or Rs 50 crore. On the set of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, a 42-year-old worker used to work as a carpenter. He lost his life in a power cut. He was not alone; he had a whole family. His wife, two children, and a daughter. There were no safety norms on his set. That’s why he lost his life. If there were safety norms, this worker’s life would have been saved. He lost his life because there were no safety norms. Due to a lack of safety norms, a worker has lost his life. I won’t call it a death; this is murder. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is accused of a fourth death on his set. This is murder.”

“And this is not the first death on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s set. In 2000, his film Devdas was released. The shooting lasted for two years. In 2000, a worker died. In 2001, another worker died on his set. In 2016, his film Padmaavat was released, and a worker died on that set too. Now it’s 2026. Chandrabhan Singh died on the set of his film Love and War. Four deaths, one producer’s set—Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s set. This is not an ordinary thing.”

Suresh Shyamlal Gupta further mentioned, “Every year, many workers die on film sets. You rarely hear that a producer or a big actor has died on set. This does not sound good because everyone’s life is at stake. But every time, it is the workers who are reported to have died. Everyone knows there are no proper safety norms on sets. That is why people are losing their lives.” We have demanded Rs 1 crore as compensation. Nothing happens with Rs 40 lakh—Rs 1 crore is needed. He has two daughters. In today’s expensive times, who will take care of their upbringing? That is why we have demanded Rs 1 crore.”

For the unversed, Yadav, a carpenter, died after suffering an electric shock on the set of “Love & War” at Film City in Mumbai. Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions has offered Rs 40 lakh as compensation to his family. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

–IANS

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