Over 150,000 Bollywood workers including spotboys, junior artistes, lighting handlers, sound technicians, camera men and daily wage workers are on strike demanding higher wages, regular pay and hiring of union workers.

The strike is in response to a call by the Federation of Western India Cine Employees, an umbrella union for 22 Bollywood associations.

Unlike the superstars like Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar, the film producers, directors and music directors/singers who make oodles of money, most Bollywood workers make very little money and work for low coolie wages.

Indian news reports say that film and TV serial shoots have been cancelled in Mumbai, the hub of filmmaking in the country.