AICWA Approaches PM Modi Over Celebs' Safety After Amitabh Bachchan's Bulletproof Glass Appearance

The film workers' association has sought urgent government intervention, citing a series of shootings, attacks and alleged extortion threats involving Bollywood personalities.

For years, Amitabh Bachchan's Sunday meetings with fans outside his Juhu residence have been a familiar sight. People gather outside Jalsa every week, hoping to catch a glimpse of the actor. But his recent appearance on November 1 was different. This time, Big B greeted the crowd from behind bulletproof glass, with son Abhishek Bachchan standing beside him. The sight has brought the question of celebrity security back into focus. Now, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to intervene and ensure protection and foolproof security for people working in the film industry.

In a letter dated November 3, AICWA president Suresh Shyam Lal Gupta raised concerns over a series of shootings, attacks and alleged extortion threats involving Bollywood personalities. The association believes the incidents point to a larger security problem that needs immediate attention.

Why Has AICWA Written To PM Modi?

Amitabh Bachchan's recent Sunday appearance finds a special mention in the association's letter. AICWA recalled how the megastar has been meeting fans outside his home for more than four decades and said the sight of him needing bulletproof protection to greet them was deeply concerning.

The letter also mentioned Abhishek Bachchan's presence beside his father during the appearance.

Questioning how a public figure with such a long-standing connection with his fans had to take these precautions, the association described the incident as a worrying moment for the industry.

"People have heard of bulletproof cars. Never before had they seen a superstar step out of his home behind bulletproof glass just to meet the people who love him. This image will be remembered in the history of Indian cinema, and the whole industry was shaken by it," read the letter written by AICWA.

For AICWA, the incident is not an isolated one. The association has linked it to a number of recent attacks and threats involving actors and other members of the film fraternity.

Which Bollywood Personalities And Incidents Feature In The Letter?

The association has listed several incidents to underline its concerns. These include the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in Bandra, the firing outside Salman Khan's residence and the knife attack on Saif Ali Khan at his home.

The firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty's Juhu residence has also been mentioned.

AICWA has further referred to repeated firing incidents targeting comedian Kapil Sharma's cafe in Canada. The recent shooting involving Tiger Shroff in Juhu has also been flagged in the letter.

According to the association, the incident involving Tiger is particularly alarming because it took place in a crowded area. The letter claimed that two people were hit by bullets during the firing.

It stated, "Tiger Shroff was fired upon in Juhu, one of Mumbai's most prominent VIP areas, in the presence of a large crowd. Two persons were hit by bullets... Tiger Shroff has no known controversy and no known enmity with anyone. He was targeted in broad daylight for one reason: to spread terror."

The association also referred to reports of an alleged ₹5 crore extortion demand targeting Tusshar Kapoor.

AICWA has also questioned the wider law-and-order situation in Mumbai. It believes that attacks in prominent neighbourhoods should concern ordinary residents just as much as celebrities.

The letter stated, "If a celebrity like Tiger Shroff is not safe in the heart of the city, an ordinary Mumbaikar cannot feel safe either."

The association has also pointed to the additional precautions being taken by several film personalities. Salman Khan has reportedly strengthened security at his residence, including installing bulletproof glass. Akshay Kumar and other members of the industry have also reportedly made additional security arrangements. The use of bulletproof vehicles has become another precaution among some celebrities.

AICWA believes that such measures reflect the growing anxiety within the industry. "When the biggest names of the industry have to turn their homes and vehicles into fortresses, it shows how deep the terror has gone," the association said in its letter.

What Has AICWA Asked The Government To Do?

Apart from seeking the Prime Minister's personal intervention, the association has called for immediate security arrangements for actors, filmmakers and their families.

It has also urged the government to involve central agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), in investigating the alleged criminal networks behind these threats.

The association wants the investigation to look into the people allegedly running these networks, their financiers and possible connections across different states and outside India.

AICWA has maintained that the issue needs more than assurances and called for concrete action to address the security concerns.

"Mumbai must never be taken back to the underworld days of the 1990s, and Bollywood must never be made to work in the shadow of fear," the letter states.