- Ram Gopal Varma paid Rs 1.32 crore pending for nine years after FWICE halted his film shoot
- Payments were due for films including Sarkar and Sarkar 3, some unreleased
- Varma avoided payment by closing his office and staying out of contact for years
Producer-director Ram Gopal Varma paid the due amount of Rs 1.32 crore, which was allegedly pending for nine years, after the FWICE (Federation of Western India Cine Employees) halted the shoot of his new film Police Company at the muhurat ceremony. Notably, Varma had outstanding dues for several of his films (released and unreleased) over the years.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, FWICE president BN Tiwari explained why they couldn't retrieve the money from Ram Gopal Varma all these years.
Tiwari said payments were due for Sarkar, Sarkar 3 and others. He claimed some of the films were released and some were not.
BN Tiwari alleged that Ram Gopal Varma was playing hide-and-seek to avoid payment.
"We kept hearing big promises. In 2019 he sent a letter saying he would make the payment in full and final, not to worry. But after that he made no contact. He closed his office and disappeared. We kept trying to trace him. Then he was caught in Goa.
"From there he promised he would pay. Then he went to Hyderabad and was doing small films secretly. But this time the camel's back broke — he was under a lot of pressure," Tiwari told NDTV.
Tiwari said Varma paid the money under compulsion after some 'influential' people intervened. After the film body received the full payment, they let him start his film.
About Police Company
Ram Gopal Varma is returning to Mumbai's underworld with Police Company, headlined by Harshvardhan Rane as Daya Nayak. Inspired by the Mumbai Police's crackdown on organised crime, the film revisits the violent period following the Dawood Ibrahim–Chhota Rajan split. However, the shoot was halted over non-payment of dues to workers.
Ram Gopal Varma's upcoming movies
Speaking at the Red Lorry Film Festival, Ram Gopal Varma also announced a new thriller titled Syndicate.
"After a long time, I came back to Mumbai recently, and I took one decision that enough is enough. It might seem a very high-handed statement, but I decided I wanted to make a film to wash away all my sins and shock everybody. The film is called Syndicate. I am also making Sarkar 4," he said.
Varma has confirmed he is working on Sarkar 4, nearly nine years after the last instalment of the Amitabh Bachchan-led franchise.