AICWA urges govt to provide protection to film industry

"Repeated firing incidents are taking place in Mumbai, often in broad daylight, clearly indicating that law and order in the city has severely deteriorated," said AICWA President Suresh Shyamlal Gupta.

Accusing the Maharashtra government for failing to effectively control crime and maintain law and order, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), a prominent body of the film industry, has urged union home minister Amit Shah to provide comprehensive protection to the film industry.

“Over the past months, several prominent Bollywood personalities have been targeted—Baba Siddiqui, Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Kapil Sharma, and now Rohit Shetty. This pattern reflects a systematic attempt to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation within the film industry, primarily aimed at extortion by gangster networks,” said AICWA President Suresh Shyamlal Gupta.

In a statement post the incident of firing outside the residence of Rohit Shetty, he said this incident is not an isolated case. Repeated firing incidents are taking place in Mumbai, often in broad daylight, clearly indicating that law and order in the city has severely deteriorated. “Mumbai, once known for its safety and strong policing, is no longer the city it used to be, as crime continues to rise and fear spreads across society,” he said.

“Had even one bullet struck Rohit Shetty or any innocent individual, who would have taken responsibility for this grave failure? Even more concerning is the fact that no clear information has emerged so far regarding the attackers, their origin, or their escape, raising serious questions about policing, intelligence failure, and accountability,” added Gupta.

“The film industry contributes thousands of crores in taxes every year and plays a vital role in India’s cultural and economic identity. Despite this, the industry is being left vulnerable, with Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra government under the leadership of Chief Minister and Home Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis failing to effectively control crime and maintain law and order,” he said.

“AICWA is compelled to ask: Is Mumbai being pushed back towards an era of underworld dominance and organised crime? If immediate and firm action is not taken, such incidents will only embolden criminal elements further,” said Gupta.

He urged the union home minister to order a high-level, time-bound investigation into the firing outside Rohit Shetty’s residence, ensure adequate and permanent security for the filmmaker, provide comprehensive protection to the entire film industry and fix clear responsibility and accountability for repeated failures in maintaining law and order in Mumbai.

“Today, the entire Bollywood industry looks towards the Central Government for protection, justice, and decisive intervention. Gangster intimidation, extortion threats, and firing incidents must be stopped immediately. The safety, dignity, and lives of film industry professionals—and citizens of Mumbai—cannot be compromised,” he added.