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.
