Akshay Kumar has asked Jackky Bhagnani to hold his payment for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan until all cast and crew are paid
Akshay Kumar has asked Jackky Bhagnani to hold his payment for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan until all cast and crew are paid
Amid growing accusations of unpaid wages to actors and crew members, Pooja Entertainment has finally addressed the issue, revealing that Bollywood icon Akshay Kumar has stepped in to help resolve the financial disputes.
Jackky Bhagnani, Vashu’s son and a co-producer at Pooja Entertainment, has now responded to the allegations. Jackky co-produced the company's recent film, ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan,’ which starred Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff and did not perform well at the box office.
“Akshay sir met me recently to discuss this matter. Upon learning about this situation, Akshay sir didn’t hesitate to step forward and show his support for the crew. He has insisted that his payments be placed on hold until every single crew member working on our projects receive their full and final payment. We are incredibly grateful for Akshay sir’s understanding and his willingness to stand with us during this time. The movie business hinges on strong relationships and that is the spirit we strive to foster in the industry,” Jackky Bhagnani stated.
Reports reveal that not only crew members but also actors like Tiger Shroff, Sonakshi Sinha, Alaya F, and Manushi Chhillar have not been paid for their work on 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan', which premiered in April.
“Tiger Shroff too has not received his fees for the film. He has maintained his silence on the non-payment of his dues for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan but after learning that the crew and the support staff, who gave the film their all, have also not been paid, he wants the production house to clear the dues immediately,” insiders revealed.
The outstanding payments to crew and vendors from Pooja Entertainment are estimated to be around Rs 2.5 crore.
About two weeks ago, several crew members publicly accused the company's founder, Vashu Bhagnani, of failing to pay them. These claims were shared in a collective Instagram post where the affected individuals recounted their experiences.
Vashu Bhagnani, who has faced several box office failures recently, denied that his situation is as dire as it appears. He refuted the rumours, telling the Times of India that he is already planning his next project, which will also be a major production.