Vashu Bhagnani owes over Rs 33 lakh to Akshay Kumar’s Mission Raniganj director, says FWICE
Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) president BN Tiwari on Friday stated veteran movie producer Vashu Bhagnani owes over Rs 65 lakh to crew members who labored on three of his movies Mission Raniganj, Ganapath, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Bhagnani’s firm Pooja Entertainment owes Rs 33.13 lakh to director Tinu Desai, who helmed their 2023 movie, Mission Raniganj, Tiwari stated. The film was headlined by Akshay Kumar.
The manufacturing home owes Rs 31.78 lakh to over 250 set staff who labored on films like Mission Raniganj, Tiger Shroff’s Ganpath (2023), and Akshay Kumar and Shroff’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024), Tiwari added. Vahsu Bhagnani remained unavailable for remark.
In a criticism filed on March 19, 2023, to the Indian Film & Television Director’s Association (IFTDA), Desai stated he labored on Mission Raniganj from February 2022 to October 6, 2023 (the discharge date of the movie) and the quantity to be obtained as per the contract was Rs 4,03,50,000 and he has solely obtained Rs 3,70,36,092 to this point.
“A written complaint was filed by the director of Mission Raniganj regarding non-payment of his dues of Rs 33.13 lakh from Vashu Bhagnani last year in March. We’ve been following up with Pooja Entertainment but they still haven’t made the payment. They have said by July end they will clear the dues,” Tiwari advised PTI. Desai declined to remark when contacted by PTI.
According to the FWICE President, IFTDA has written a number of letters to Pooja Entertainment however they stored delaying the cost. “In February they sought time to pay citing Jackky Bhagnani’s wedding via an email dated February 20, 2024, to IFTDA and later they didn’t reply. After FWICE wrote them a letter in March 2024, they again sought time to make the payment saying they would do so after the release of their film, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, that has not happened,” Tiwari stated
“This is unfair what they are doing, they are leading a luxurious life, and when it comes to paying the dues they are making excuses. In their latest email, they have said they will clear the dues by July end but if they don’t do so then our workers will not work on any of their films,” he added. About 200 to 250 staff, who’re a part of Film Studios Setting & Allied Mazdoor Union, are but to obtain cost of Rs 31,78, 327 from Pooja Entertainment, Rakesh Maurya, a union chief, claimed.
“There are three to four categories of workers who construct a set, they usually receive somewhere between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,400 per day. The pending dues of a single worker could range between Rs 10,000 to 20,000 or more,” Maurya of Film Studios Setting & Allied Mazdoor Union, advised PTI.
They have about 48,000 every day wage staff in numerous departments like set division, lightmen, and spot boy. FWICE common secretary Ashok Dubey advised PTI that it has been some time for the reason that launch of Mission Raniganj, Ganapath, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan however staff’ cost remains to be held up.
“The workers are helpless. The artist receives money first, but not our workers. It is heartbreaking to see the condition of the workers in the industry; they don’t have a job guarantee here. Even when they get to work on a project, they don’t receive the money on time. They have to wait endlessly for months to get their hard-earned money,” Dubey stated.
Last week, a number of crew members accused Pooja Entertainment of non-payment of dues and shedding nearly all of its employees. In a media assertion, Bhagnani had stated individuals claiming Pooja Entertainment is but to clear their dues should interact in a dialog with the banner.
“If there are people who claim that we owe them money, they should come forward and talk to us. Do they have a proper contract with Pooja Entertainment? Have they filed a case regarding this? There are so many ways to sort this rather than ranting on social media,” he had stated dismissing studies that his manufacturing banner was shutting down.
Dubey stated staff ought to get the cost earliest. “In Marathi films, there’s a rule that if the workers do not get their daily wages from the producers the censor certificate will not be given to the producers, we want the same rule, he added.
Pooja Entertainment has produced hits such as Coolie No. 1, Hero No. 1, Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Kucch Kehna Hai, Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, Om Jai Jagadish, and Shaadi No. 1, among others in the past but their last few releases have not worked at the box office.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published by PTI
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