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Mumbai, June 29
Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) president BN Tiwari has said veteran film producer Vashu Bhagnani owes over Rs 65 lakh to crew members who worked on three of his films ‘Mission Raniganj’, ‘Ganapath’ and ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’.
Bhagnani’s company Pooja Entertainment owes Rs 33.13 lakh to director Tinu Desai, who helmed their 2023 film, ‘Mission Raniganj’, Tiwari said on Friday. The movie was headlined by Akshay Kumar.
The production house owes Rs 31.78 lakh to over 250 set workers who worked on movies like ‘Mission Raniganj’, Tiger Shroff’s ‘Ganpath’ (2023), and Akshay Kumar and Shroff’s ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ (2024), Tiwari added.
Bhagnani remained unavailable for comment.
In a complaint filed on March 19 to Indian Film & Television Director’s Association (IFTDA), Desai said he worked on ‘Mission Raniganj’ from February 2022 to October 6, 2023 (the release date of the film). The amount to be received as per the contract was Rs 4,03,50,000. He has only received Rs 3,70,36,092 so far.
“A written complaint was filed by the director of ‘Mission Raniganj’ regarding non-payment of his dues of Rs 33.13 lakh from Bhagnani last year in March. We’ve been following up with Pooja Entertainment but still they haven’t made the payment. The company have said they will clear the dues in July,” Tiwari told PTI.
Desai declined to comment when contacted by PTI.
According to FWICE president, IFTDA has written multiple letters to Pooja Entertainment but they kept delaying the payment.
“In February, they sought time to pay citing Jackky Bhagnani’s wedding via an email dated February 20, 2024 to IFTDA. Later, they didn’t reply. After FWICE wrote them a letter in March 2024, Pooja Entertainment again sought time to make the payment saying they would do so after the release of their film ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’. Again that has not happened,” Tiwari said.
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