Film City fire disrupts MTV Hustle 5 grand finale shoot in Mumbai

A fire broke out at a temporary production control unit in Mumbai's Film City on Monday afternoon, disrupting a major television shoot and sending thick plumes of black smoke over the Goregaon studio complex.

No one was injured in the blaze, which started around 4:00 p.m. on October 5, but it triggered a rapid evacuation of the set of the rap reality show MTV Hustle 5 during the filming of its grand finale.

According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the Level-I fire was reported at 4:02 p.m. behind Reliance Media Works and Prime Focus Studio in Goregaon East. The flames were confined to a temporary 100-foot by 20-foot production control room unit set up behind the studio.

The incident occurred in immediate proximity to the sets of Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 and MTV Hustle 5. While the Pati Patni Aur Panga set was completely empty because no shooting had been scheduled for the day, the neighbouring Hustle set was packed with cast, crew, and high-profile artists.

The MTV Hustle 5 production team confirmed that the show's grand finale was actively being filmed when the fire was spotted. Prominent musical artists including Badshah, EPR, MC Square, Paradox, and Agsy were all present on the set.

The alarm was raised while paparazzi were photographing singer Nikita Gandhi outside the studio. The crew immediately halted production and evacuated the stage. Samarth Jurel, the host of the show, shared a video of the massive fire on social media before later deleting the post.

"Everyone was alerted and managed to evacuate in time," the show's production team said in a statement, adding that everyone subsequently left the site.

The fire gutted electrical wiring, cables, AC units, sound systems, and shooting equipment, as well as temporary building materials including wooden planks, bamboo, and plastic. Emergency services—including the Mumbai Fire Brigade, local police, and municipal staff—mobilised quickly to contain the outbreak. Firefighters managed to bring the flames under control by 4:55 p.m.

While the immediate cause of the fire remains unknown, the incident has already drawn sharp criticism from industry bodies. The All Indian Cine Workers Association issued a strong statement, claiming that safety negligence has become a habit in the industry that regularly puts workers' lives at risk. The association demanded that police file a First Information Report against the television channel and the producers, and called for the resignation of the Film City managing director.