Lights, Camera, Shutdown: When Bollywood Came To A Standstill

Lights, Camera, Shutdown: When Bollywood Came To A Standstill
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 11:05 IST
With Bollywood reeling under the impact of a strike called by a workers' union, we take a look at other films whose shoots were stalled due to similar stirs

With the Film Studio Settings and Allied Mazdoor Union going on strike in protest of an alleged attack by Ekta Kapoor's production team, work in Bollywood seems to have come to a grinding halt.


Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha in a still from the film, 'Citylights'

It is said that work on several films and TV shows was affected on Tuesday; among them was Mahesh Bhatt's film, Citylights. The filmmaker, in a show of solidarity for the workers' cause, cancelled promotions of his film that was being held at Mehboob Studios.

Produced by Mahesh Bhatt, 'Citylights' was among the films that were affected by the strike called by the Film Studio Settings and Allied Mazdoor Union. The film's promotions were cancelled on Tuesday by Bhatt in order to support the workers' cause.

Produced by Mahesh Bhatt, 'Citylights' was among the films that were affected by the strike called by the Film Studio Settings and Allied Mazdoor Union. The film's promotions were cancelled on Tuesday by Bhatt in order to support the workers' cause.

Strikes in tinsel town are perhaps not a new thing; time and again, the workers' unions in Bollywood have taken a stand against film producers and voiced their discontent by going on strike.


Ekta Kapoor's production team allegedly attacked a worker triggering a strike by the Film Studio Settings and Allied Mazdoor Union

Hitlist takes a close look at similar instances where workers' unions stalled work on films, thus upsetting the shoot schedule in the process...

Jai Ho (2014)

Shoot for this action drama was stalled in May last year after fighters from the South refused to shoot for the film. They are said to have demanded the same remuneration as Bollywood fighters.Producer-director Sohail Khan apparently lost around 12 days of shooting and incurred heavy losses amounting to a few crores.

Rowdy Rathore (2012)
Shooting of this Akshay Kumar-starrer was disrupted in Hampi, Karnataka, after activists complained that local dancers were not being hired.

Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha in 'Rowdy Rathore'

In addition to that, the production unit had apparently not availed of the services of a local production manager from the All India Cine Workers Organisation, which is also said to be a gross violation of norms.

Singham (2011)
Members of the Federation Of Western India Cine Employees Association (FWICE) stormed the sets of Singham in 2011, demanding unpaid wages from the film's producers.


Ajay Devgn in 'Singham'
Apparently, Reliance Entertainment, the film's producers, hadn't paid workers to the tune of Rs 45 lakh.

Bodyguard (2011)
Shooting of this blockbuster film came to a halt when the FWICE interrupted its filming.


Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor in 'Bodyguard'

The organisation was protesting against the film's makers as they had apparently made its members work all day on January 26, which is a national holiday.

Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013)
Bhansali's film shoot was disrupted briefly in 2012 after members of the FWICE landed on the sets to voice their greivances. They apparently wanted to address complaints about non-payment of workers' dues.
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