Worker dies on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love and War Set, film body seeks Rs 50 lakh

3 min readBengaluruJun 22, 2026 11:22 AM IST

A tragic incident occurred on the set of the film Love & War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal together in the lead roles.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much-awaited film Love & War is again in the headlines. A recent tragic incident occurred on the set of the film Love & War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal together in the lead roles. A worker reportedly lost his life while working on the film’s production.

Chandradhari Singh Yadav, a carpenter working on the film’s set, reportedly lost his life after suffering an electric shock in the early hours of June 17. He died at around 3 am.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

Following the incident, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and FSSAMU approached the producers of the film seeking financial assistance for the bereaved family. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production house subsequently provided Rs 40 lakh as compensation. However, FWICE president BN Tiwari has urged the filmmaker to increase the amount to Rs 50 lakh and take responsibility for the education of Yadav’s children.

Sparks fresh debate on worker safety in film industry

This Love & War set tragedy has reignited concerns about safety standards and working conditions in the film industry.

Speaking about the issue, FWICE President BN Tiwari highlighted the challenges faced by workers on film sets. He told Bombay Times, “Apart from monetary compensation, we have requested the producer to take responsibility for the children’s education. Workers are often made to work far beyond the prescribed eight to ten hours, and there is a limit to how much a person can physically stretch themselves at work. Once the post-mortem report comes, we will decide our next course of action.”

The incident has also prompted industry bodies to renew their demand for stricter safety protocols. Ashoke Pandit, President of the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) and chief advisor to FWICE, called for mandatory audits of film sets and electrical infrastructure. He stated, “We have repeatedly urged producer bodies, studios and government authorities to conduct regular audits of sets, electrical wiring and cabling, considering that 150 to 200 workers are often present on a set.”

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FWICE has further alleged that many workers are made to work beyond legally prescribed hours without proper overtime compensation. According to Tiwari, the federation has repeatedly raised these concerns with both the Prime Minister’s Office and the Maharashtra government.

About the film Love & War

The film Love & War marks Bhansali’s first collaboration with Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal together. The film is said to centre on a complex love triangle between two officers, played by Ranbir and Vicky, and Alia Bhatt, who finds herself entangled in an emotional struggle between duty and desire.