Chandradhari Yadav, a 42-year-old carpenter, died early on June 17, 2026, after suffering a suspected electric shock on the Mumbai set of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film Love & War. The fatal incident occurred at Royal Pump Studio in Goregaon around 3:00 AM, exposing severe, ongoing safety and labor violations across the Indian entertainment industry.
Following an intervention by the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), Bhansali Productions offered Rs 40 lakh in financial compensation to Yadav’s wife and two daughters. Union officials confirmed Yadav was a registered member of the Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union (FSSAMU) and was working a grueling 20-hour shift when the short circuit occurred, capping off three continuous days of labor. Beyond the immediate financial payout, the union formally requested the production house fund the education of Yadav’s children and provide employment for his widow.
This death directly mirrors a pattern of negligence by studio owners over the past two years. FWICE President BN Tiwari, General Secretary Ashok Dubey, and Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit publicly condemned the industry’s prioritization of filming schedules over basic human safety. The Love & War incident echoes the November 2024 tragedy where a 32-year-old camera attendant was similarly killed by exposed wiring on a television set, an event that sparked ongoing safety demands from the labor union.
Other past incidents include a large fire that destroyed a Chitrakoot studio set in July 2022 and a structural collapse on the Mere Husband Ki Biwi set in January 2025. Following Yadav’s death, FWICE petitioned Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, the Chief Minister’s Office, and the Prime Minister’s Office. The labor leaders are demanding mandatory structural and electrical safety audits for all Mumbai studios, strict enforcement of the legal 8-hour work shift, and the suspension of licenses for any non-compliant production facilities.