- Bhooth Bangla has earned over Rs 211 crore worldwide since its April 17 release
- Vendors claim Balaji Motion Pictures owes Rs 48 lakh in pending payments for Bhooth Bangla
- Balaji Motion Pictures denies any wrongdoing and says all contractual payments are fulfilled
Even as Bhooth Bangla continues its successful run at the box office, fresh allegations of unpaid dues against the production house have surfaced.
The horror-comedy, backed by Ekta Kapoor and her banner Balaji Motion Pictures, has reportedly earned over Rs 211 crore worldwide since its release on April 17.
On Wednesday, Ekta took to Instagram to celebrate the film's success and thank the team behind it.
She praised lead actor Akshay Kumar, director Priyadarshan, and other cast members, while also expressing gratitude to Priyadarshan for delivering what she called the "biggest hit of her career".
'Dues Of Rs 30 Lakh Remain Unpaid'
However, according to a Mid-day report, several vendors associated with the film have alleged that their payments are still pending despite the film's theatrical success.
One vendor reportedly claimed that dues worth Rs 30 lakh remain unpaid, while another alleged pending payments of Rs 18 lakh.
The report further stated that delayed payments have increasingly become common in the industry. Vendors alleged that once a film releases, recovering pending dues becomes even more difficult. They also claimed that the earlier norm of clearing invoices within 90 days is no longer followed consistently.
According to one vendor, lead actors and primary crew members are usually prioritised for payments, while others are left waiting for months.
Responding to the allegations, Balaji Motion Pictures denied any wrongdoing. "Balaji Telefilms Limited has fulfilled all its contractual payment obligations in relation to various projects undertaken by the company," the production house said.
Background
The issue of delayed payments recently surfaced in connection with Tu Yaa Main as well. Earlier this week, second camera operator Nikhil Pai tagged producer Aanand L Rai's Colour Yellow Productions on Instagram Stories and wrote, "Congratulations on the theatre and Netflix release. Please clear the invoices. It's beyond due... if you reply to calls and emails that would be much appreciated."
The romantic thriller, starring Adarsh Gourav and Shanaya Kapoor, released in theatres on February 13 before premiering on Netflix India on April 10.
A source from Colour Yellow Productions told SCREEN, "We're on it. Payment comes in trenches, and he's yet to receive the last trench. Sometimes, it takes longer for the due process to be followed because there are hundreds of crew members involved in a film who have to be paid. He's just not received 8% of his total payment. And we haven't received any communication from him yet. Others, who are waiting for their dues to be cleared, are in touch."
The conversation around unpaid dues had earlier intensified after disputes linked to Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.
Director Ali Abbas Zafar had accused producer Vashu Bhagnani's Pooja Entertainment of non-payment amounting to Rs 7.30 crore. The matter reportedly reached FWICE (Federation of Western India Cine Employees), which also received complaints from actors including Tiger Shroff, Sonakshi Sinha, and Alaya F.
FWICE also claimed that Rs 65 lakh in payments to crew members remained unpaid. While Pooja Entertainment denied some allegations and maintained that the dues were subject to set-offs, reports suggested that several staff members faced severe financial distress because of delayed payments, with some allegedly having to sell their homes or struggling to clear hospital bills.
Headlined by Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan was reportedly mounted on a budget of Rs 350 crore. However, the film earned only around Rs 100 crore at the box office.