Last week, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), led by General Secretary Dilip Pithwa, announced that from August 15 there would be an indefinite strike by workers across Hindi, Marathi film and TV industries. FWICE's demands included eight hour shifts with compensation for overtime, salary hike, legal contracts for all assignments, food and drinking water arrangements on safety-compliant and hygienic sets, and life and accident insurance for all workers.

However, two days in, the strike is grappling with disorganization even as it has been labelled a “flop attempt at stalling shoots“. Art director Sukant Panigrahy, president, Association of Cine and Television Art Directors and Costume Designers, was the first to reveal that his association was not consulted before the strike and they are not a part of it. Sharad Shelar, president, Cine Artists Associations, expressed shock that the executive committees of all parties were not made aware of the strike. “We not only disapprove of the strike, but strongly condemn it,“ he asserted, adding that shootings were on across Mumbai despite the protests.

Wednesday's strike kicked off at 10 am with 80-100 people outside Film City studio. Security was beefed up and by 2 pm there were 100 cops on site to maintain peace. “Around 3 pm, a bunch of protestors began to stop cars and workers tried to enter the premises. They were roughing up employees who were on their way to work. That's when the police resolved to lathi charge. By 4 pm, all the protesters had cleared out the gates and the strike was over,“ says Mirror photographer Nilesh Wairker.

By this time, the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association had already passed a notice in-sync with a Sessions Court judgement that no shooting would be stalled. Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPCP) as well as Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA) chimed in with a resolution that they were neither supporting the strike nor were they involved in it in any capacity. Gangeshwar Srivastav, general secretary, Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union, also confirmed that the organisation wasn't associated with the strike. “It was not a well-strategised and executed strike. The unions are especially irked because the protestors resorted to political support, which has never happened in the past. IFTDA strongly condemns the strike,“ member Ashoke Pandit told Mirror.