The situation is turning increasingly grim for the daily-wage workers with the suspension of shoots being extended to April 14. Knowing well that desperate times call for desperate measures, now the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has knocked on the doors of Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

BN Tiwari, president, FWICE, tells mid-day that he shot off an email to Bachchan on March 25, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown. "In a crisis like this, we had to knock on his door for financial help because he is the legend of Hindi cinema. We have yet to receive a reply from Bachchanji, but we are certain that he will help us."