Vashu Bhagnani and his son actor Jackky Bhagnani accused filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar of "coercion, criminal breach of trust, extortion, blackmailing, criminal intimidation, harassment, criminal defamation, and money laundering" in addition to suspected fraud of Rs 9.50 crore.
Film producer Vashu Bhagnani and his son actor Jackky Bhagnani own the production house Pooja Entertainment. The two have filed a complaint against filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar for allegedly siphoning subsidy cash received from Abu Dhabi authorities while filming 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan'. On September 03, Ali Abbas Zafar submitted the charges, and the director is expected to be summoned by the Bandra Police in Mumbai soon.
The lawsuit
Bhagnanis' lawsuit accused Ali Abbas Zafar of "coercion, criminal breach of trust, extortion, blackmailing, criminal intimidation, harassment, criminal defamation, and money laundering" in addition to suspected fraud of Rs 9.50 crore. According to the accusation, Zafar used these funds through an Abu Dhabi-based shell business.
Earlier today, it was reported that Ali Abbas Zafar has accused Bhagnanis of failing to pay him Rs 7.30 crores for directing 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan'. According to Dainik Bhaskar, Zafar filed an official complaint with the Directors' Association, requesting that they intervene. Following the complaint, the Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE) wrote to Vashu Bhagnani, asking for an explanation for the unpaid dues.
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Pooja Entertainment denied Zafar's claims in a statement, stating, "The dues claimed do not constitute a legitimate claim and are liable to various set-offs, as informed to us by BMCM Films Ltd." Later, FWICE asked Ali Abbas Zafar to provide proof of his unpaid dues claim.
In 1998, 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' was released and was directed by David Dhawan. The film starred Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda in lead roles. On the other hand, in 2023, the new Bade 'Miyan Chote Miyan' had Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff in prominent roles. However, when the movie opened in theaters in April, and was panned by both audiences and critics.