Maharashtra's ongoing food safety crackdown could soon extend beyond restaurants, canteens and commercial kitchens to Mumbai's bustling film sets. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), which represents more than five lakh workers, technicians and artists across the entertainment industry, has formally urged Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe to conduct surprise inspections at shooting locations.
According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter India, the organisation has raised concerns about the quality of food served to ground-level crew members and highlighted what it describes as inadequate dining and sanitation facilities at several film and television production sites.
Film Workers' Union Seeks FDA Intervention
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has written to Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe requesting unannounced inspections, food sampling and hygiene audits at film, television and digital content shooting locations across Mumbai.
The appeal comes amid the FDA's intensified enforcement drive in Maharashtra, during which several eateries, institutional kitchens and food establishments have faced inspections and action over alleged food safety violations.
According to The Hollywood Reporter India, FWICE's letter, dated August 11, highlights poor food quality and workplace conditions for daily-wage crew members working on sets in Film City, Goregaon, and other production hubs around Mumbai.
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Concerns Over Quality Of Meals Served On Film Sets
In the letter, FWICE General Secretary Ashok Dubey claimed that the organisation has received repeated complaints from affiliated unions and members about the quality of meals served during shoots. "For several years, FWICE has been receiving numerous complaints from its affiliated unions and members regarding the pathetic, unhygienic and substandard quality of food being served by several film, television and digital content producers during shootings," Dubey wrote.
The letter added, "The meals supplied at shooting locations are often stale, poorly cooked, nutritionally inadequate and prepared in unhygienic conditions. Such food poses a serious risk to the health and safety of our members, who are required to work continuously for long hours under physically demanding conditions."
Union Says Previous Complaints Yielded Little Action
FWICE stated that it has previously raised these issues with labour authorities and other government bodies but claims that meaningful action has not followed. The letter noted, "Consequently, scores of workers, technicians and artists continue to suffer and remain deprived of their basic right to safe, hygienic and wholesome food while at their workplace."
The organisation argued that ensuring food safety is not only a health issue but also a matter of basic workplace dignity for thousands of employees who keep productions running behind the scenes.
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Food Infrastructure On Sets Also Under Scrutiny
Beyond concerns over the food itself, FWICE highlighted what it called inadequate dining infrastructure at several shooting locations. "At several shooting locations, workers are compelled to have their lunch or dinner in open areas exposed to dust, heat, rain and unhygienic surroundings," the letter read.
It continued, "In many instances, there are no designated dining areas, inadequate seating arrangements, lack of clean drinking water and poor sanitation facilities. Such conditions are wholly unacceptable and fall far below the standards expected at any organised workplace."
Calling the situation unacceptable for an organised workplace, the federation urged the FDA to inspect food storage facilities, preparation units and catering operations being used on production sets. It requested that such inspections be carried out in line with provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Concluding the letter, FWICE emphasised, "The workers, technicians and artists of our industry are the backbone of the Media & Entertainment Industry... it is deeply unfortunate that they are denied even the basic dignity of safe and hygienic food and decent facilities to consume their meals."