As Aditya Dhar gears up for the release of Dhurandhar 2, now exactly a month away, the much-anticipated sequel finds itself overshadowed by controversy. On Monday, B62 Studios, the production banner led by Aditya, was blacklisted from seeking shoot permissions in Mumbai. Officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) cited “repeated violations” of safety rules and conditions on set as the reason for the action.
And now, the issue has escalated further with the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) stepping in. Its president, Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, strongly condemned what he described as recurring lapses by Dhurandhar 2’s crew and producers, calling for strict accountability. In an authority statement, Gupta asserted, “The life, safety, and dignity of film industry workers, technicians, and labourers cannot be compromised under any circumstances.” He further added, “Owing to this gross negligence, every year multiple workers lose their lives and many others suffer critical injuries because of fires, electric shocks, and collapsing sets. Incidents at Goregaon Film city and other studios, where workers tragically died owing to fire and unsafe conditions, are painful reminders of this ongoing danger.”
Addressing the matter directly, the association’s statement read: “AICWA firmly supports the action obtained by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) against B62 Studios. Such strict steps are necessary because production houses are not above the law. When safety norms are ignored, it puts thousands of workers in danger. In Mumbai alone, hundreds of shootings take place daily, and a vast majority of production houses fail to properly follow legal and safety requirements.”
The statement concluded with a vigorous warning: “The lives of workers cannot be treated as expendable. Accountability must be fixed, and those responsible for endangering workers must face serious consequences.”
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On Monday evening, a BMC official informed The Indian Express that: “Having received the clearances, the three applicants, Komal Pokhriyal, Nasir Khan and B62 production house, can no longer apply for shoot permissions with the Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development CL website. On Tuesday, we will also be issuing notices to this three applicants informing of the action, and a copy of the notice will also be shared with the Maharashtra film cell and BMC’s Business Cell head.”
The crackdown follows multiple alleged breaches in the course of filming. During a night shoot on February 14 in South Mumbai’s heritage Fort area, the production reportedly used lit torches (mashals) and other flammable materials despite having submitted a written undertaking that any fire effects would be created later through VFX. Authorities have as well sought forfeiture of a Rs 25,000 deposit, proposed a Rs 1 lakh penalty for filming on a building terrace without permission, and flagged the unauthorised use of two generator vans at the location.
With Dhurandhar 2, starring Ranveer Singh, slated for a March 19 release, speculation quickly surfaced about whether the controversy might derail its timeline. However, a source close to the production clarified to SCREEN that the developments have not impacted the schedule. As stated by to the insider, shooting in Mumbai continues as planned, and Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge remains on track for its intended release date.
The source characterised the violations and the BMC’s objections as “ground issues,” adding that they were unaware of the blacklisting of B62 Studios. A spokesperson for the production house declined to comment.
