INDIA. Mumbai: The India Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) has summoned actresses- Ameesha Patel and Sunny Leone to appear before its Arbitration Tribunal on July 25 in response to the complaints by producers about their pending dues.
IMPPA President Abhay Sinha, in a release dated July 21, stated that both artists had been given enough time to have their say in the matter. If they do not appear before the tribunal, the ex-parte decision will be taken in the matter.
Ameesha Patel has been asked to appear before the tribunal in response to a complaint filed by Haresh Patel of “AD Films”, who in his letter to IMPPA, has claimed that he had loaned Rs 65 lakh at an interest rate of 2.5 per cent for Ameesha’s production house for the film “Desi Magic”, in 2017.
To date, the amount has not been refunded, and now it is swelled to Rs 1.30 crore with interest in the last 6 years. Patel told Transcontinental Times that several cheques issued by Ameesha Patel in the last five years were dishonoured, and even today, there are no signs of her returning the money.
Similarly, Producer Vinod Bachchan of “Soundarya Productions” has filed a complaint against Sunny Leone for not adhering to the shooting schedule of his feature film “Yaaron Ki Baaraat” despite paying remuneration in advance. Bachchan had reportedly paid Rs 21 lakh to Sunny.
However, she is yet to give dates for shooting; resultantly, the film is stuck. Bachchan confirmed that he had filed a complaint against Sunny Leone with IMPPA.
In April, IMPPA had written to Ameesha Patel, asking her to appear before the dispute committee in view of the complaint by AD Films, which had filed a complaint about the non-payment of dues and dishonoured cheques, terming it as a criminal breach of trust, cheating and fraud.
Ameesha Patel and Sunny Leone did not respond to e-mails sent by the Transcontinental Times seeking clarification.
In another development, IMPPA has commended the introduction of the New Award Category for web series at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2023).
In a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, IMPPA President Abhay Sinha stated that the web series has become the new medium of connecting millions of people throughout the world and providing entertainment. As such, the decision to include an award for the web series at the International Film Festival of India is timely and bold.
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