Amitabh Bachchan‘s recent appearance outside his Juhu residence, Jalsa, with bulletproof glass separating him from the crowd has sparked concern across the film industry. The actor has followed the tradition of greeting fans outside his home every Sunday for decades. However, his November 1 appearance was markedly different, with the 84-year-old stepping out behind a protective glass shield. His son Abhishek Bachchan was by his side, keeping an eye on the crowd. The incident has now drawn attention to the growing security concerns surrounding Bollywood, with the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) approaching Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seeking urgent intervention to protect members of the film fraternity.In a letter dated November 3, 2026, AICWA president Suresh Shyam Lal Gupta urged the Prime Minister to take immediate steps to strengthen security for actors, filmmakers and their families. The association highlighted several incidents of shootings, physical attacks and extortion threats involving film personalities, stating that the situation calls for serious attention.The association also referred to Bachchan’s long-standing Sunday ritual, when fans from different parts of India and abroad gather outside Jalsa to catch a glimpse of the actor. His son, Abhishek Bachchan, accompanied him during the November 1 appearance. Expressing concern over the circumstances that led the veteran actor to take such precautions while meeting his admirers, the letter stated, “For more than four decades he has met his fans there every Sunday, and people from across India and abroad come just to see him. At the age of 84, he never imagined he would have to protect himself like this in his own city. His son Abhishek Bachchan, who rarely comes out, stood beside him to protect his father.”The association further described the sight as unprecedented, saying it had left the film fraternity deeply disturbed. It wrote, “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.”In its appeal to the Prime Minister, the association listed several incidents involving prominent members of the entertainment industry. These include the murder of Baba Siddique in Bandra, the firing outside Salman Khan’s residence, the knife attack on Saif Ali Khan at his home and the shooting outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence.The letter also referred to multiple firing incidents targeting comedian Kapil Sharma’s cafe in Canada, along with the recent shooting incident involving Tiger Shroff in Juhu. The association expressed particular concern about the latter, pointing out that the incident took place in a busy neighbourhood with several people present.Highlighting the seriousness of the attack, the letter 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 has suggested that extortion could be a common motive behind several of these incidents. According to the letter, criminal gangs are increasingly targeting Bollywood personalities because of the industry’s prominence and international visibility. It alleged that attacks on well-known actors and filmmakers are being used to spread fear, gain notoriety and extract large sums of money. The letter also mentioned reports of Tusshar Kapoor allegedly receiving an extortion demand of Rs 5 crore.Explaining its position, the AICWA stated, “All these attacks appear to be aimed at extortion. Gangsters know that Bollywood is the softest target and that it is known all over the world. By attacking famous film personalities, they want to make a name for themselves and to extort money on a large scale.”Beyond the safety of film personalities, the AICWA has questioned the broader law-and-order situation in Mumbai. It argued that if high-profile individuals are vulnerable to such attacks, the safety of ordinary residents is also at stake. Calling for concrete security measures rather than assurances, the association stated, “Today, law and order has broken down in Mumbai. If a celebrity like Tiger Shroff is not safe in the heart of the city, an ordinary Mumbaikar cannot feel safe either. In 2026, the terror of the underworld, which was believed to have been brought under control, has returned to the streets of Mumbai. Words alone are not enough; Bollywood needs real and visible protection.”
