Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film Love and War has come under scrutiny following the death of crew member Chandradhari Singh Yadav during the film’s shoot in Mumbai. Now, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking the registration of an FIR against Bhansali, ₹1 crore in compensation for the deceased’s family, and a high-level investigation into the matter.
‘Safety norms were not followed’
AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta wrote the letter to the Chief Minister, and the association’s X account posted it on social media. A part of the letter read, “The incident has raised serious concerns regarding the implementation of workplace safety measures on film shooting sets. Despite the film being a large-scale production featuring prominent actors such as Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, and Alia Bhatt, mandatory safety norms were not followed on the set, resulting in the unfortunate death of a worker. Had the required safety measures been strictly implemented and enforced, this tragic incident could possibly have been avoided.”
Deceased survived by two minor daughters and wife
In the letter, Suresh shared that the deceased is survived by his wife and two minor daughters. Since he was the sole earning member of the family, his death has caused severe emotional and financial hardship for them.
Previous accidents on Bhansali’s sets
The AICWA president also referred to past accidents in which crew members allegedly lost their lives on Bhansali’s film sets. He wrote, “This incident is not isolated. Over the years, several serious incidents have been reported on film sets associated with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali: During the production of Devdas (2000–2001), worker Dindayal Yadav lost his life, another worker sustained serious injuries, and in 2001, worker Subhash Morkar also reportedly died during the same production. During the production of Padmaavat, worker Mukesh Dakiya, aged 34, reportedly died in a workplace accident. Most recently, during the production of Love & War, Mr. Chandradhari Singh Yadav lost his life on 17 June 2026.”
AICWA president demands FIR against Bhansali
He urged the Chief Minister to take strict action against Bhansali and those responsible for the incident. He wrote, “Register an FIR against Producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the concerned production house, and all persons found responsible under charges of murder, culpable homicide, negligence, and all other applicable legal provisions as may be established during investigation. Constitute a high-level independent inquiry into the incident and conduct a comprehensive safety audit of the film set.”
He added, “Ensure payment of ₹1 crore compensation to the family of the deceased worker, Mr. Chandradhari Singh Yadav. Provide suitable employment or financial assistance to the widow of the deceased. Ensure long-term financial support and full responsibility for the upbringing, welfare, and future security of his two daughters until they are married and financially independent.”
He further wrote, “Suspend shooting activities at the concerned location until full compliance with all mandatory safety norms is verified by competent authorities. Conduct a comprehensive safety audit of the Love & War film set and all associated sets, and permit resumption of shooting only after full certification of compliance with all safety requirements. Implement mandatory safety audits and inspections across all film shooting sets in Maharashtra. Ensure strict enforcement of workplace safety laws to prevent recurrence of such tragic incidents in the future.”