YRF requests Uddhav Thackeray to help production house vaccinate 30,000 FWICE workers

In a bid to ensure cine workers safety amid the rising cases of COVID-19, Yash Raj Films, one of the leading production house in the country, has taken the onus on itself to vaccinate 30,000 members of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE). In a letter to the FWICE, Yash Raj Films (YRF) said they have sent a request to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to allocate and allow them to purchase COVID-19 vaccines for these registered workers, who are members of the federation in Mumbai. The FWICE has a total of 2.5 lakh registered workers. In the letter, dated 1 May, Akshaye Widhani, Senior Vice President, YRF, said the production banner, through The Yash Chopra Foundation, has offered their support to daily wage workers. “With the film industry going through an unprecedented time there is an urgent need to restart at the earliest so that thousands of workers can start earning their livelihood again and protect their families,” the letter read. “The Yash Chopra Foundation will bear all other costs too associated with vaccinating the workers such as raising awareness, transportation of workers and setting up of all the required infrastructure for the immunisation program,” it further said. B N Tiwari, President of the FWICE, said the film body is grateful to the production house for thinking about the safety of the workers amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. “It is a good initiative that they have taken for our workers, who are working now following all the protocols because they need to earn bread and butter. With the vaccine it will be safe for them to continue working without any fear,” Tiwari told PTI, adding the workers are in dire need of financial help too as not all of them are getting the opportunity to work. With reference to the letter sent by YRF, the FWICE has also appealed to Thackeray to provide vaccines for the artistes, workers and technicians of the film industry. “We request you to kindly please consider the request of Yash Raj Films and provide vaccines for around 30,000 workers. FWICE shall also extend all its support and cooperation to make this vaccination drive a success. “Once the vaccination is done, our members can resume their respective work and the industry may continue to function without any fear,” FWICE said in a letter to the CM. The Maharashtra government had last month announced all shootings stand suspended to curtail the spread of the infection in the state. Currently, few TV shows and film shoots are happening outside Maharashtra. On Monday, Maharashtra reported 48,621 new COVID-19 cases and 567 deaths. Last year, many film personalities including Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rohit Shetty, Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, among others had offered financial assistance to the workers during the pandemic-induced nationwide lockdown.