TV Comedian Accuses Mubarakan Director Anees Bazmee Of Non-Payment!

Actors, especially, small actors have often faced issues when it comes to payment of their dues from several production houses. The latest in the list is Mubarakan director Anees Bazmee. Comedian Sunil Pal has alleged that Bazmee requested him to perform at a private event but refused to pay later.

In a Facebook video shared on Wednesday, Sunil says, “Anees jee, I am sorry to hear that your latest film Mubarakan was a flop but it was destined to happen.” He then goes on to explain that Anees had requested the comedian to perform at a private event on a yacht near Gateway of India and told him that paying his market price would not be possible for the producer.

However, Sunil claims Anees promised an “x amount” of money for the performance but later refused to pay up. Sunil even threatened Anees that he could file a police complaint but Anees could not care less. He also said that he shared the video with Anees before posting it on Facebook.

“I have around Rs 20-25 lakh stuck in the market with various producers. It is quite common in the industry for producers to pay up late. However, we, as artists, understand if a producer is genuinely out of resources or liquid money. But, when a producer like Anees - who plays in crores of rupees - behaves like this, it is not pardonable,” Sunil told Hindustan Times.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees announced on Wednesday that they will go on a strike beginning August 15 to reaffirm their demands that they have been seeking for past two years. Speaking to HT, the federation’s general secretary Dilip Pithva said, “We have sought support from CINTAA (Cine And TV Artistes Association) and others. There is nothing new that we are asking for. The producers need to address issues we have agreed to solve - delay in payments, better facilities for artists on the sets and the like.”

Film Employees Federation of India and Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council are also at loggerheads after the former had an altercation with producer-actor RK Suresh on the sets of his Tamil film Billa Pandi. FEFSI are all set to go on strike from August 1.

The revelation comes days after a legal battle between Meenakshi Sagar - the producer of Jamai Raja - and CINTAA. Several actors of the TV show have claimed that Meenakshi is yet to pay their dues and CINTAA told HT that the production house owes a total of Rs 20-25 lakh to various actors.