'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' Producers Accuse Director Ali Abbas Zafar Of "Criminal Conspiracy"
'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' producers Vashu Bhagnani and Jackky Bhagnani have filed a police complaint against director Ali Abbas Zafar for “misappropriation of funds.”
'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan', starring Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Alaya F, Manushi Chhillar and Sonakshi Sinha, was one of the most-awaited Bollywood films of 2024, but the movie tanked miserably at the box office. Such was the failure of the film that it was not even able to break even, and recover its costs. In the latest entertainment news, 'BMCM' producers Vashu Bhagnani and Jackky Bhagnani have now filed a police complaint against director Ali Abbas Zafar for “misappropriation of funds.”
As per The Indian Express, the 17-page complaint has been filed at Bandra Police Station. The producers have accused Ali Abbas Zafar of “siphoning the subsidy funds he took from Abu Dhabi authorities” during the shoot of the film.
For the unversed, the complaint was made after Zafar, and 'Mission Raniganj' director Tinu Desai accused the Bhagnanis of non-payment of dues. The duo had also filed complaint with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) against the producers.
In the complaint filed by Vashu and Jackky Bhagnani, the production nightmare of 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' has been elaborated in 53 points. The complaint also alleges that the director Ali Abbas Zafar, along with his business partners “slowly and systematically” entrapped the Bhagnanis “in their criminal conspiracy.”
The producers have also claimed that Ali Abbas Zafar started operating in an "opaque manner” and “systematically started to show their true colours and started withholding/suppressing material information". Vashu and Jackky Bhagnani have also alleged that the budget was increased by over Rs 6 crore without any prior consent of Pooja Entertainment.
The complaint also claims that Ali Abbas Zafar "hijacked and taken over the entire production", including declining suggestion of having Madhuri Dixit play an officer in the film. This suggestion was made by Vashu Bhagnani "to add good value" to 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan'.
“It is reiterated that the initial estimate was of INR 125 cr. which increased to and was locked at Rs 154 cr. i.e. as approved and undertaken by the Complainant (Bhagnani). The UAE leg was completed and solely controlled by the Accused (Zafar), which was supposed to have been completed at Rs 23 crore plus a fixed cost of Rs 8-10 crores (total of Rs 33 crores), however, the same was exceeded by Rs 6 crores. The Complainant were not provided periodic updates and accounts as assured, and therefore, it is evident that there has been major siphoning of funds and mismanagement at the behest of the Accused," the complaint reads, as per Indian Express.
Earlier, Pooja Entertainment had faced flak for not clearing the payment of some of the cast and crew, who worked with the production house under various projects.
