Ceiling collapse on 'Mere Husband...' set injures Arjun, director Aziz
What's the story
In a shocking incident, the ceiling of a film set collapsed while shooting for Mere Husband Ki Biwi in Mumbai's Imperial Palace at Royal Palms, reported ETimes.
The mishap happened while shooting for a song sequence starring actors Arjun Kapoor, and Bhumi Pednekar.
Director Mudassar Aziz and producer Jackky Bhagnani were also present when the accident happened.
Incident details
'Vibrations from sound system' led to collapse, injured several
Ashok Dubey of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) told ETimes that vibrations from the sound system used for filming caused the incident.
"The song was being shot at Imperial Palace in Royal Palms when the ceiling of the location collapsed, injuring Kapoor, Bhagnani, and Aziz."
"Since the location has been there for a long time, the vibrations from the sound caused further portions to fall off," he added.
Safety concerns
Choreographer Vijay Ganguly raised concerns over safety measures
Choreographer Vijay Ganguly, who was working on the song with Kapoor and Pednekar, expressed his concerns about the safety of older properties used for filming.
"We were shooting a song, and everything was going fine until around 6:00pm when we were taking a shot."
"We were on the monitor when suddenly the ceiling collapsed. Luckily, it fell in parts, and we had a trough to protect us," he said.
Statement
'Many people still got hurt...the safety isn't properly verified'
Ganguly added, "Had the entire ceiling fallen on us, it could have been disastrous, but many people still got hurt. These old locations are often used for shoots, and as production companies, we are sure that the safety measures are checked."
"However, many times, the safety of the location isn't properly verified."
"The director was hurt, DOP Manu Anand fractured his thumb and I suffered injuries to my elbow and Head. Even our camera attendant injured his spine."
Safety initiative
FWICE initiated drive to address recurring accidents
Dubey emphasized that these incidents are not one-offs and have been occurring regularly, especially on temporary structures such as Chitrakoot and Royal Palms, which are used for shoots.
Following these repeated accidents, FWICE has now launched a drive.
"We have written to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and the BMC to highlight the safety concerns. We also raised the issue with the Fire Department," Dubey said.
Produced by Pooja Entertainment, the romantic comedy film will release on February 21.