A beauty pageant for overweight women was organised by two businesswomen in the city in May - Trishla Rane and Neha Chanchlani. In June, two contestants, Mamta Manglani and Priyanka Rathod, and a designer, Harsha Zambani, approached the media and police claiming that the organisers did not pay fulfil the promises they made after making participants pay Rs 25,000.
The organisers, in turn, claim that the main complainant, Manglani, had approached them days before the final result was to be announced, offering money in exchange for the title.
While the contestants approached Ravindra Kadam, joint commissioner of police, who forwarded their application to the Hadapsar police station, the organisers filed a non-cognisable (NC) offence case at the Wanowrie police station.
The show was called Miss and Missus Curvy Queen and was held in May. The finalists were sent an email promising a list of things. While Manglani claims that more than half the promised things were not given to the contestants, Rane and Chanchlani both claim to have fulfilled their promises.
Manglani approached Hindustan Times with various issues including lack of proper accommodation and availability of food for the contestants. She also claimed that the designer Harsha Zambani, did not receive half the payment for the dresses she had designed for the show. However, the organiser duo have a different story to tell.
“Harsha had come to Neha’s studio with her uncle and tried to threaten us. Also, Mamta and Priyanka have been challenging and claiming that they will ensure that we are not able to do our next show,” said Rane.
{{/usCountry}}“Harsha had come to Neha’s studio with her uncle and tried to threaten us. Also, Mamta and Priyanka have been challenging and claiming that they will ensure that we are not able to do our next show,” said Rane.
{{/usCountry}}“We made the show a success as it was important for us and our self respect. But we were not even provided with food and accommodation. While I had my own house in Pune, most of them were made to stay in Neha’s studio after first two days in a hotel,” said Manglani.
With legal action filed from both sides, the fight between the organisers and former contestants promises to rage.