Ustad Gustad does it again!

After the abrupt shelving of Mumbai Central, Gustad gets into another controversy, writes Hiren Kotwani.

If you thought Kaizad Gustad would have disappeared after the abrupt shelving of Mumbai Central, you're highly mistaken.

After the controversy around the tragic death of an assistant director, Nadia Khan, during the shooting of Mumbai Central, Gustad was in the spotlight and lock-up for a while, after which he kept a low profile.

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During the release of Boom, rumours and allegations were rife about bad management and nonpayment of dues. Gustad's reputation was under serious scrutiny as was that of his producer Ayesha Shroff.

Strangely, and still supported by Ayesha Shroff, Gustad is back at work on a new film. Produced by Shroff's Quest Films in association with a British production company, Beatrice And Bombil is a film that revolves around the relationship between a foreign girl and an Indian man, the narrative travelling back and forth in time.

Starring Prashant Narayan and British actress Kate McGuiness, the film had a shooting spell at Filmistan Studios here. But barely a couple of days later, the shoot appar ently came to an abrupt halt.

According to some sources, Shroff has taken loans and has allegedly defaulted on some repayments. Apparently, one of those not yet paid for their work for the film is costume designer Loveleen Bains, who has also created the outfits for the forthcoming Rang De Basanti.

An insider reveals that the producers had issued a Standard Chartered bank pay order in Bains' name and instructed the bank to clear it the moment it came in. But on the date itself, they called the bank saying Bains had lost the pay order and they needed to stop payment on it immediately.

Sources say that when Bains deposited the pay order, she was shocked to learn that the producers had stopped payment.