Actor Katrina Kaif’s make-up artist Subhash Singh, who has recently turned producer, has filed a suit against Raveena Tandon’s first cousin and builder Mukesh Tandon, who was co-producing Subhash’s debut production, Aditya Meets Avantika.
According to him, Mukesh backed out of the project and withdrew his funds 10 days before the film’s last shooting schedule was to end. “It’s my first film and it was 95 per cent complete. But then he stopped paying attention and eventually disappeared from the city. As a result, many crew members did not get paid,” says Subhash, adding that Mukesh was also using the film to launch his singer son, Rishabh, in Bollywood. “He left me in a lurch with this debt, that I now have to pay off.”
Soon after Mukesh absconded, Subhash sold his Kandivli flat to pay off some unit members who worked on the movie. He says, “Mukesh may not care about the Rs 2 crore that he has spent on this film, but I have also invested Rs 70 lakh in it by selling my flat. And I will make sure this film sees the light of the day and I get money’s worth.”
Over past few months, Subhash made numerous attempts to get in touch with Mukesh, but failed. Eventually, the producer, who only recently floated Hari Om Sai Productions, filed a complaint at the Oshiwara police station. The unit members, who didn’t get paid due to Mukesh’s negligent behaviour, also supported his application.
Over past few months, Subhash made numerous attempts to get in touch with Mukesh, but failed. Eventually, the producer, who only recently floated Hari Om Sai Productions, filed a complaint at the Oshiwara police station. The unit members, who didn’t get paid due to Mukesh’s negligent behaviour, also supported his application.
“Then we moved labour court. He was sent three notices, but he ignored them,” says Subhash, who then discovered that Mukesh had left Mumbai and settled in Delhi. “I have retrieved his contact details now. I am travelling till May, but once I am back I will take severe action. I will go to the higher court and, if necessary, I will even put political pressure.”
Directed by Milind Ukey, Aditya Meets Avantika is a romantic drama in which Amrita Singh, Bhagyasree and Anupam Kher play pivotal roles.