Amitabh Bachchan, Badshah forced to evacuate after Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set fire smoke reached Kaun Banega Crorepati set; Hustle 5 finale disrupted

The fire started on a temporary setup being used for Pati Patni Aur Panga 2. The smoke reached the adjoining sets of Hustle Season 5 and Kaun Banega Crorepati.

A fire broke out at Film City in Goregaon East, Mumbai, on Monday afternoon, October 5, disrupting shoots on multiple television sets and forcing actors and crew members to evacuate. The fire started around 4 pm on the outer shade of a temporary setup being used for Pati Patni Aur Panga 2, behind Prime Focus Studio. The smoke soon reached the adjoining sets of Hustle Season 5 and Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC).

Amitabh Bachchan, Badshah evacuated as Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set catches fire; Hustle 5 finale disrupted, KBC 18 shoot halted.

Nobody was injured. No shooting was scheduled on the Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set when the fire broke out, which meant there were no artists or crew members working there at the time. However, the incident brought nearby shoots to a halt and once again raised questions about safety arrangements at Film City.

What AIFEC and FWICE said

According to Times of India report, Ashok Dubey, President of the All India Film Employees Confederation (AIFEC) and General Secretary of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), says the situation could have been much more serious had the Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 team been shooting.

“The shade on the Pati Patni Aur Panga set caught fire, and the smoke spread to the adjacent sets of Hustle 5 and Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), forcing the crews to evacuate. Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan) also had to step out of the KBC set because of the smoke, bringing the shoots to a halt for nearly an hour and a half. Fortunately, there was no shoot on the Pati Patni Aur Panga set; otherwise, it could have resulted in a major accident,” he said.

FWICE raises alarm over repeated fires

For Ashok, Monday's incident is another warning sign rather than a one-off accident. He said fires have been reported at shooting locations with increasing frequency and that concerns around basic safety checks have not received enough attention.

He pointed out that fires on sets have become a routine occurrence rather than an exception. He recalled an incident roughly ten days earlier at Royal Palms, where a fire triggered by a short circuit broke out just as a shoot was set to commence. He stressed that he has consistently advocated for structural audits, fire compliance and safety inspections on sets, yet his appeals have gone unheeded, with no one appearing to prioritise the safety of those working on them. He concluded that no sum of money can ever make up for a life lost.

He added that the federation had already taken up the issue with officials, including the labour department, BMC and fire authorities. According to him, the discussions were meant to create a system where sets could be inspected and working conditions checked before productions began.

“We had meetings involving the labour officer, BMC officials and the federation's health and safety team, which was supposed to inspect sets and assess how work was being carried out. I have been writing to the fire department and the Chief Minister for many years. We can't wait for a major tragedy to happen before swinging into action. We wrote to the Chief Fire Officer and the BMC two days ago, and we will be writing again, asking them to look into this concern. We also met Ashish Shelar ji, Cabinet Minister for Information Technology and Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra, a while ago regarding how every set could be inspected and safety protocols followed, which turned out to be quite positive. We are hoping that action will soon be initiated and that the necessary steps will be taken,” he added.

Following the latest fire, Ashok also said that the federation will again approach the state government and seek a formal inquiry. He believes producers, government representatives and workers' bodies need to work together rather than addressing each incident separately after it happens.

The federation is now calling for a formal committee that would bring together producers, government officials and its own representatives. Ashok said he would write again to the Chief Minister and Ashish Shelar, urging that such a committee be set up without delay and that an inquiry be launched into the recurring nature of these incidents. He expressed hope that concrete steps would follow soon to safeguard everyone working on sets.

Hustle 5 finale shoot forced to stop

The incident also interrupted the Hustle Season 5 finale, which was being filmed on a nearby set. According to ABP News, Badshah, actor Samarth Jurel and the show's contestants were present when smoke and the smell of burning became noticeable, prompting everyone to leave the set.

The fire reportedly began on the neighbouring Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 setup. Tents outside the two sets also caught fire and were completely burnt. The blaze, however, did not spread extensively and was eventually brought under control by the fire brigade. The Hustle 5 finale shoot was able to resume after the situation was brought under control and the area was considered safe.

AICWA seeks inquiry and action

The fire has also prompted the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) to write to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking a high-level inquiry into the incident and legal action against those responsible.

Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, president of the AICWA, has made three demands in the letter: “A thorough, time-bound inquiry into how the fire started on the Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set, and why no fire safety arrangements were in place. An FIR for negligence against the channel, the producer and the production house of the show. The resignation of the Managing Director of Film City, who bears full responsibility.”

Suresh has alleged that the set did not have basic fire safety arrangements and says accountability cannot stop at the workers who are present on the ground. “These studios stand inside Film City, and the management knew well that sets were running without basic fire safety. Not a single fire safety measure was in place on this set. This is not an accident; it is criminal negligence. Every day, thousands of workers and artists put their lives at risk on these sets. When a fire breaks out, the people who suffer are the poor workers, not the channels and producers who profit. This cannot go on. Accountability must be fixed at the top, and those responsible must face the law,” he added.

The workers' body has also called for compulsory fire audits, trained fire safety personnel and firefighting equipment to be available on every set. It has further demanded that licences be cancelled if productions fail to meet the required safety standards.

The AICWA also criticised the situation in a post on X, arguing that repeated fires at Film City have not led to enough accountability. “Mumbai's Film City Burns Again, and No One Is Held Accountable. Mumbai's Film City is burning again, and as always, no one is being held accountable. Fire after fire, year after year, thousands of workers and artists are pushed into danger by channels, producers and production houses that refuse to spend on basic fire safety to save a few rupees. The sets go up in flames, the poor workers pay the price, and those who profit walk away without a single consequence. Fires in Film City are not accidents,” the statement read.

The association described the situation as being driven by “greed, negligence, and a system that never punishes the guilty”.