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Bade Miyan Chote Miyan Row: Police lodge Vashu Bhagnani's FIR against Ali Abbas Zafar for cheating and financial fraud
Police have lodged Vashu Bhagnani's FIR against Ali Abbas Zafar, accusing him of cheating, financial fraud, and inflating costs during the production of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.
The Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff starrer Bade Miyan Chote Miyan continues to make headlines, not for its cinematic impact but for the controversies surrounding its production. Months after its release, Pooja Entertainment's Vashu Bhagnani has leveled serious allegations against director Ali Abbas Zafar and others, accusing them of fraud, financial irregularities, and misconduct during the making of the film. Now, Bhagnani has filed an FIR against Zafar, invoking multiple charges.
According to a report by the Free Press Journal, the FIR was officially registered on December 8 in Bandra. This marks a significant win for Vashu Bhagnani, who had previously lodged a complaint with the Hon'ble Bandra Court. Following his plea, the court issued an order on December 2, 2024, leading to the latest development.
In response, the Bandra Police have registered an FIR against Ali Abbas Zafar, co-producer Himanshu Mehra, and finance head Ekesh Randive. The charges include several serious offenses under the IPC, such as Section 120B (criminal conspiracy), Section 406 (criminal breach of trust), Section 420 (cheating), Section 464 (making a false document), Section 468 (forgery for cheating), Section 471 (using a forged document), Section 500 (defamation), and Section 506 (criminal intimidation).
The FIR alleges that Ali Abbas Zafar is involved in 'conspiring to inflate production costs, forging invoices, misappropriating funds, and breaching contractual agreements', according to the complainant.
The complaint reveals that the production budget for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan was originally set at Rs 125 crore, excluding actor fees. However, this amount was later raised to Rs 154 crore. The accused are alleged to have overspent, committed fraudulent activities, and failed to present accurate expenditure records, further intensifying the controversy.
The primary accusations involve the misappropriation of significant funds, including the government rebate from Abu Dhabi, alongside allegations of document and invoice forgery to inflate production costs.
The production is said to have racked up unnecessary expenses, including excessive equipment rentals, luxury accommodations, and external vendor fees, all without obtaining the necessary prior approvals and breaching contractual agreements.
Vashu Bhagnani, the producer behind Pooja Entertainment, filed a formal complaint on September 3, 2024, against director Ali Abbas Zafar, co-producer Himanshu Mehra, and other involved parties.
The producer claims that the accused forged his signatures and altered financial records, extracting more money from him while falsely inflating costs, resulting in the misappropriation of crores of rupees. Earlier reports also indicated that Zafar had lodged a separate complaint against the producers for non-payment of his dues.
When he initially approached the police in September 2024, no action was taken, prompting him to seek legal recourse through the court. Due to the gravity of the case and the significant sums involved, the court requested additional evidence and legal documentation.
After months of waiting, Vashu Bhagnani's complaint has finally been lodged, bringing a much-needed sense of relief and progress in the case.
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