The long-awaited Love & War directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali has landed in the middle of a troubling controversy after the death of a crew member on set prompted renewed discussion about workplace safety and working standards in the film industry.
The incident involved 42-year-old carpenter Chandradhari Singh Yadav, who is reported to have died from an electrical shock while working on the set of Love & War in Mumbai in the early morning hours of 17 June. While the exact cause of death has not been confirmed pending the results of a post-mortem examination, the tragedy has already generated widespread outrage within the film industry and labour unions.
What started out as a tragic workplace accident has now become part of a much bigger discussion regarding the treatment of behind-the-scenes workers who contribute to the making of large film productions. The FWICE has intervened on behalf of Yadav’s family and demanded that the compensation to Yadav’s family be increased from Rs. 40 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh as well as support for the education of his two children and help in finding employment for his wife.
The issue goes beyond compensation. There are union reps that have voiced their claims of extremely long hours being present in multiple film sets, and how there are all types of safety standards not being executed properly. According to FWICE officials, Yadav was working long shifts before the incident took place. The federation is now calling for more extensive inspections, better electrical safety measures, and more organized schedules for work in the film production industry.
It was reported that Bhansali Productions gave the family of Yadav Rs. 40 lakh. This act has been recognized by other leader of the unions. There are also some people in the industry that feel the accident is an opportunity to create a sense of awareness, rather than being just another story that fades into the background.
For a film as high-profile as Love & War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, the spotlight is now shifting beyond the cameras. The attention has now focused away from the production and placed itself on whether appropriate actions are being taken to protect the workforce that is the long-term backbone of Bollywood’s major productions.
The investigation proceeding is still ongoing; nonetheless, it is clear that there will continue to be a debate regarding film set safety issues.
