The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has called the death of a carpenter on the set of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming film Love & War a 'murder', demanding that an FIR be registered against the filmmaker and that the victim's family receive ₹1 crore in compensation. The incident, which occurred at Film City, Mumbai, has reignited a long-standing debate over worker safety on Bollywood film sets.

What Happened on the Set

Chandrabhan Singh Yadav, a 42-year-old carpenter, died after suffering an electric shock on the set of Love & War at Film City in Mumbai. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions has offered ₹40 lakh as compensation to the family — an amount that AICWA has publicly rejected as insufficient.

AICWA President's Allegations

AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta described the death as avoidable, attributing it directly to an absence of safety protocols on set. He said, '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 ₹100 crore or ₹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... If there were safety norms, this worker's life would have been saved. He lost his life because there were no safety norms.'

Gupta further alleged a pattern of fatalities linked to Bhansali's productions, stating, 'This is not the first death on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's set. 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 — this is not an ordinary thing.'

Compensation Demand and Safety Audit Call

AICWA has demanded ₹1 crore in compensation for Yadav's family, arguing that the ₹40 lakh offered by the production house falls far short. Gupta said, 'Nothing happens with ₹40 lakh — ₹1 crore is needed. He has two daughters. In today's expensive times, who will take care of their upbringing?' The association has also called for a comprehensive fire and safety audit of all film sets before shooting is permitted to resume.

Broader Safety Crisis on Film Sets

Gupta pointed to a systemic failure across the industry, not just on Bhansali's sets. 'Every year, many workers die on film sets. You rarely hear that a producer or a big actor has died on set... every time, it is the workers who are reported to have died. Everyone knows there are no proper safety norms on sets,' he said. This comes amid growing calls from cine worker unions across India for mandatory safety inspections and enforceable industry-wide standards. Notably, the 29 June 2026 incident is the latest in a series of on-set fatalities that critics argue reflect a structural disregard for below-the-line crew welfare in Indian cinema.

What Happens Next

As of the latest reports, no FIR has been registered against Sanjay Leela Bhansali or his production house. AICWA's demands — including the murder charge, enhanced compensation, and a mandatory safety audit — remain pending. The production status of Love & War, which stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, has not been officially confirmed following the incident. Industry bodies and Maharashtra's labour authorities have not yet issued a formal response.