Anirban Das (MID-DAY; February 9, 2016)

The shoot of Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon was disrupted on Saturday following a case of mistaken identity and comedy of errors. Members of Film Studios Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union (FSSAMU) marched into the set over pending dues, but the makers claimed that their payment had long been cleared.

On further discussion, it turned out that the film’s producer Sajid Nadiadwala had indeed signed a cheque to FSSAMU — only that it is a namesake affiliated to the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE).

Says a source, “The Gangeshwar Shrivastav-led Mazdoor Union had been dissolved by the FWICE in December 2014 for alleged criminal behaviour. They have since been operating as an independent body. Meanwhile, the FWICE set up a workers’ union of the same name, which seems to have got the payment from Nadiadwala now.”

Shrivastav says a cheque for around R 25 lakh has landed in the wrong hands due to confusion over the union’s name and that he’s planning legal action against the FWICE for forming its workers’ body under the same moniker of FSSAMU. “It is our workers who deserve the payment and we should be given the money. Around 90 per cent of the workers on set supported us; they are not members of the federation. If we do not get the payment, work on all Sajid Nadiadwala films will be stopped.”

Politicising the issue Prem Singh, chairman of the FWICE-affiliated workers’ body, says, “The federation suspended Shrivastav in 2014 and he has no rights to demand the payment of workers. I am the union chairman since January 23, 2015 and we will make all payment. Shrivastav is creating disturbance since he has the backing of BJP MLA Ram Kadam.”

Shrivastav, however, says, “In January 2015, members of our union elected Ram Kadam as the chairman.  He supported us as the chairman and not as a politician.” Despite repeated attempts, Nadiadwala remained unavailable for comment.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; April 8, 2015)

If sources are to be believed, two contractual workers employed for Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan are awaiting their medical compensation totaling Rs 31,000 since the last few months.

A unit source a painter fractured his right hand at ND Studios last December and his medical expenses came to around Rs 26,000. “A month before that, a carpenter was diagnosed with dengue during the set construction and was hospitalised for five days. His medi-claim is about Rs 5,000. But neither of them has been compensated so far,” adds the source.

Gangeshwar Srivastav, general secretary of the Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union, says: “We sent reminders about the bills to Mukesh Cineworld, the company which provided the contractual workers for the film, but didn’t get any response. So, we have now sent the bill to Kabir Khan.”

A source close to the production unit says the dues have been cleared, but the contractor may have not disbursed it yet. An official of Mukesh Cineworld denies the workers’ claims, stating: “The money has been given to the union. No medical bill is pending.”

Kabir, too, dismisses the buzz. He says, “I checked with the accounts department and there is no such reminder from the union. There was only a medical bill worth Rs 6,000 which was submitted last week.”

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; January 8, 2015)

That Bollywood is a ruthless industry with undertones of indifference and dispassion is no secret. But, Kabir Khan seems to have his heart in the right place. Bucking the usual practice of delaying compensation to bereaved families of workers, the filmmaker acted quickly when a lightman on the sets of Bajrangi Bhaijaan died of cardiac arrest last month.

A source close to the unit says since the hectic shoot schedule, the 38-year-old worker, Munib Ansari, was on duty round the clock and suffered a heart attack. Within 10 days of the death, Khan cleared his dues and offered compensation to his wife who lives in a village near Mumbai. “Generally, compensations take a long time to be delivered but in this case, Kabir Khan showed he has high ethical standards by handing over a cheque of R 8.40 lakh to his wife Zainab Khatoon,” the source suggests.

Rakesh Maurya, joint secretary of the Allied Mazdoor Union, says, “This has been the quickest compensation and payment made to the family of a deceased worker. Otherwise, they are made to wait endlessly. Ansari’s dues amounted to Rs 62,100 and the rest was compensation.”

Khan remained unavailable for comment.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; December 30, 2014)

Barely three days ago, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) dissolved the Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union amidst allegations of criminal intimidation and disruption of film shoots by its members.

Now it has emerged that the union's chairman Mithun Chakraborty had resigned about a year ago but the workers were kept in the dark about it. The actor had been leading the union since 1989.

FWICE president Kamlesh Pandey says, “It is true that he resigned a long time ago. He may have had his personal reasons but we feel he may have come to know what Gangeshwar Shrivastav (union general secretary who was expelled) was up to. In fact, Gangeshwar may have hidden the fact of his resignation only to be able to exploit it to his advantage and was falsely claiming that Mithunda was supporting him.”

Pandey adds that the veteran star had clarified about his resignation to Cine and Television Artistes Association general secretary and actor, Pankaj Dheer. “In the current scenario, Mithunda stands with us,” he asserts.

Gangeshwar, on the other hand, states that the union never accepted the resignation. “We consider Mithunda as our chairman and will continue to do so. Even when he tendered his resignation saying that he was planning to join politics, he told us that he will always back the cause of workers’ welfare.”

Chakraborty was not available for comment.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; December 27, 2014)

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) expelled six members of the Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union, including its general secretary Gangeshwar Shrivastav, allegedly for disrupting shoots and indulging in criminal behaviour.

The decision was taken after Shrivastav prevented workers from reporting to the ND Studio at Karjat
alleging that they were not given food allowance.

Claiming to have filed a complaint with the trade union office, he says, “They are trying to get me out of their way as I am fighting for workers’ rights. They want to de-affiliate the union. I will speak to producers and ensure that they are not troubled and my members get work.”

FWICE president Kamlesh Pandey says the list of offences against Shrivastav and Co. runs long. “They had practically unleashed a reign of terror on the entire film industry due to which shooting and setting activities were being moved out of Mumbai by the producers. The general council of the FWICE unanimously resolved to expel him and five of his agents and dissolution of his entire committee. An 11-member ad hoc committee has been appointed to oversee the activities of the union and fresh elections will be held by January 31 next year,” he adds.

Producer J D Majethia states that the FWICE had expelled Shrivastav in the past. “We have been informed that a new committee will make sure that no shoot is stopped and Shrivastav is not allowed to interrupt our work,” he states.

MID-DAY (December 10, 2014)

The Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union stalled the shooting of Vikas Bahl’s film Shaandar at Essel Studio on Monday afternoon for non-payment of dues.

Gangeshwar Srivastav, general secretary of the union, said, “The producers of the film had to clear our dues which was about Rs 7 lakh. After our workers started non-cooperation on Monday morning, they have agreed to pay us Rs 4 lakh.”

The union is said to have refused to shoot till the entire payment is cleared. Srivastav adds, “They have this habit of holding onto the payment they cleared our Bombay Velvet payments only when Shaandar went on floor. We will not allow this to happen.”

A source from the union later informed us that the shooting for song-dance routine with Alia and Shahid resumed at 4 pm, after the producers of the film promised to clear the due by Monday evening.

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; November 24, 2014)

Right from uncertainty over the release date to the art director calling it quits, Gabbar starring Akshay Kumar and Shruti Hassan has faced many a hurdle. But, problems do not seem to have ended for the makers.

If the latest buzz is to be believed, workers on the film sets have not received their payment till date. A source says, “Many workers including lightmen, spot boys and others have still not got their dues though the shoot of the film has almost been wrapped up.”

A source associated with the project says payment for the last shoot schedule of the film is pending. “Many workers are still fighting for their payment. We have also spoken to the union about the same,” adds a unit hand.

The Allied Mazdoor Union, however, denied having received any complaints regarding the payment but ensured action in case of any grievance.

Producer Shabina Khan remained unavailable for comment.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; November 13, 2014)

The shooting of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period romance, Bajirao Mastani came to a grinding halt for the second time in five weeks after workers withdrew from the sets twice on Tuesday alleging nonpayment of wages.

A source from the sets says, “The issue has been going on for a long time. The light technicians and spot boys were not paid. The production team kept on delaying their payment and the workers were continuing without their wages. The Allied Mazdoor Union decided that they have had enough and launched a non- cooperation movement in the morning.”

However, the workers returned to the sets within an hour following an assurance that their payment would be cleared by evening. “But that was not to be. So, the workers resorted to a ceasework from 7 to 9pm. Later, the production team gave them a cheque of nearly R 8.5 lakh to restart the shoot,” adds the source.

Allied Mazdoor Union leader, Gangeshwar Srivastav confirmed the news while Bhansali remained unavailable for comment. On October 7, the workers had launched a non-cooperation movement on the film’s sets when they were allegedly denied conveyance allowance for working on Dussehra.

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; May 14, 2014)