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The recent IIFA Awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi brought to light a brewing controversy surrounding film producer Vashu Bhagnani and his production house, Pooja Entertainment. While attending the event, actress Rakul Preet Singh, married to Bhagnani's son, was confronted by the media about allegations of non-payment of dues by the production company to the crew of their 2024 film, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Rakul chose to avoid answering the question, simply saying "sorry" and walking away from the interview. This incident has further fuelled public scrutiny of the alleged financial irregularities surrounding Bhagnani and his company.
The controversy initially came to light when the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a statement, revealing that Pooja Entertainment owed money to individuals who worked on three of Bhagnani's recent films: Mission Raniganj, Ganapath, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Adding fuel to the fire, the director of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Ali Abbas Zafar, publicly claimed that he had also not received his fees from the production company. In response to these allegations, Bhagnani filed a 17-page police complaint against Zafar, accusing him of "criminal conspiracy" and "misappropriation of funds." However, the crew members of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, including lead actors Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, have stood in solidarity with Zafar, stating that they too are yet to receive their payments.
The controversy surrounding Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is particularly concerning given the film's commercial performance. Despite its release in April 2024, the film was met with negative reviews from critics and audiences, ultimately failing to achieve success at the box office. This lackluster performance, combined with the mounting allegations of non-payment, has cast a shadow over Bhagnani's production company and raised serious questions about their financial practices. The actions of Rakul Preet Singh in avoiding the question regarding the controversy are likely to further fuel speculation about the truth of the allegations and the extent to which Bhagnani is responsible for the unpaid dues.
Source: Rakul Preet avoids question on non-payment claims against father-in-law Vashu Bhagnani