The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally intervene and protect Bollywood actors, filmmakers and their families. The demand came in a letter dated November 3, signed by AICWA president Suresh Shyam Lal Gupta, which lists a string of shootings, attacks and alleged extortion threats aimed at film personalities.

The trigger was an image that shook the industry. For more than four decades, Amitabh Bachchan has stepped out every Sunday to greet fans gathered outside his Mumbai home, Jalsa. This time, the 84-year-old actor stood behind protective glass, with son Abhishek Bachchan by his side. AICWA said that sight left the industry shaken.

A ritual that changed in full view

The association pointed to Bachchan’s appearance on November 1 and stressed how long the tradition has lasted. Fans travel from across India and abroad to see him, and the letter says he never expected to need protection like this in his own city.

“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.”

That quote captures the mood of the letter. AICWA is not treating this as a single security lapse. It frames the moment as a warning sign for the entire film community.

A list of incidents the letter wants answered

The association cited several cases involving well-known names. It mentioned the murder of politician Baba Siddique in Bandra, the firing outside Salman Khan’s residence and the knife attack on Saif Ali Khan at his home. It also referred to the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence.

Comedian Kapil Sharma’s cafe in Canada was also named. According to the letter, it faced repeated firing incidents. The association further flagged a recent shooting involving Tiger Shroff in Juhu, which it described as one of Mumbai’s most prominent VIP areas.

AICWA said the Shroff incident happened in a crowded area with several people present. Two persons were hit by bullets. The letter insisted that Shroff has no known controversy and no known enmity with anyone.

“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 letter stated.

Extortion, not just fame, at the centre of the claim

AICWA believes these attacks point to a wider pattern of threats and alleged extortion. The association argued that Bollywood’s visibility, both in India and overseas, makes its biggest names attractive to gangs looking to make money and gain attention.

The letter also referred to reports of an alleged Rs 5 crore extortion demand involving Tusshar Kapoor. The association said the attacks appear aimed at extortion, adding that gangsters see Bollywood as a soft target because it is known all over the world.

“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,” the association said.

Mumbai’s law-and-order question

The letter does not stop at the film industry. It questions the broader state of law and order in Mumbai. If prominent film stars can face threats in parts of the city considered high-security areas, the association argues, ordinary residents have every reason to worry.

In strong language, the letter claims that the underworld, which was believed to have been brought under control, has returned to the city’s streets in 2026. It says words alone are not enough and that Bollywood needs real and visible protection.

Stars are already fortifying their homes

AICWA pointed to the security steps some actors have reportedly taken in recent months. Salman Khan has installed bulletproof glass at his residence, and Akshay Kumar and other film personalities have reportedly made similar arrangements. Bulletproof cars have also become part of the precautions adopted by some stars.

The association says that shift is itself the proof of the problem. When the industry’s biggest names have to turn homes and vehicles into fortresses, the letter argues, the depth of the fear is clear.

“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 letter stated.

What AICWA is demanding

The association has made three specific requests. It wants the Prime Minister to take up the matter personally. It wants immediate protection for members of the film industry and their families. And it wants central agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, to investigate the alleged gang networks, including their handlers, financiers and possible links across states and beyond India’s borders.

The letter is a formal appeal rather than a police complaint, and it leaves the investigation to the authorities it names. What it does make clear is that AICWA wants the state to act at the highest level, and quickly, before another name ends up behind glass.

For now, the image of a 84-year-old actor greeting fans from behind protective glass is doing the talking. It is the moment AICWA says has shaken Bollywood, and it has pushed one of the film industry’s most influential bodies to ask the country’s top leader for help.