Mumbai, India – A chilling hostage situation unfolded in Mumbai's Powai district on Thursday, October 30, 2025, when 17 children and two adults were held captive at R.A. Studio. The perpetrator, identified as 38-year-old Rohit Arya, reportedly lured the children to the studio under the guise of an acting audition for a web series.
According to police reports and witness accounts, the children, aged between 10 and 15, arrived at the studio in the Mahavir Classik building, believing they were attending a final day of shooting for a "hostage scene". Arya had seemingly prepared the situation for over a month, even holding auditions where he read out the script to 23 children and their parents, convincing them of the legitimacy of the project. Only 17 of those children attended the preparatory sessions at the studio.
However, the situation took a dark turn when Arya locked the studio doors, preventing anyone from leaving. Panic erupted as some of the children sensed something was amiss and began to scream. Arya, armed with an airgun and an iron rod, threatened to kill them, confirming their worst fears. "It was only then that we realised this was no longer fiction," one of the girls recounted. Some children were found with their mouths taped and hands tied when police entered the studio.
Arya allegedly released a self-recorded video early in the standoff, which quickly spread online. In the video, he calmly stated that he had taken the children hostage instead of committing suicide, citing "very simple demands, very moral demands, very ethical demands," and expressed a desire to speak with certain people. He also warned authorities against any wrong moves, threatening to "set everything on fire". Authorities later found rags sprayed with chemicals in the studio, allegedly intended to start a fire. Motion detectors were also installed at the main door, connected to a mobile phone.
The hostage situation prompted a massive police response. Officers surrounded the studio, and negotiators attempted to reason with Arya. A distress call reached the police at approximately 1:45 p.m., and a team arrived at the scene by 2:15 p.m. After nearly two hours of tense negotiations, police commandos stormed the building. Arya was shot during the operation and later died at a hospital. All 17 children and two adults were safely rescued.
Joint Commissioner of Police Satyanarayan Chaudhary stated that the motive behind the hostage situation appeared to be related to pending work dues. Arya had allegedly claimed that the government owed him money and that his protests had been ignored. He allegedly took the children hostage to amplify his complaint.
Tushar Mahajan, Deputy Secretary of the Government of Maharashtra, stated that Arya had approached them last year claiming the department had defaulted on payments. However, Mr. Kesarkar stated that Arya's budget was vague, especially regarding advertising, management costs, technical support, and online film links.
The incident has sparked demands for a magisterial probe into the details of the event, particularly the circumstances surrounding Arya's death. The rescued children were handed over to their parents, bringing an end to the terrifying ordeal.
