Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; January 24, 2015)

If industry sources are to be believed, Firoz Nadiadwala has raised the hackles of a few technicians over non- payment of dues. He has apparently not paid a few technicians for Anees Bazmee’s Welcome Back, one of the two projects that he is backing.

The film, which was shot last year, had a schedule at Chandivali Studios and a huge set had been fashioned for a song. The art director, Ashok Lokre, says people who supplied him the set materials have been troubling him for money, but he is helpless as his own payment is also pending. “I was the one who erected the set against a signing amount of Rs 1 lakh. The set was used for 15-20 days, but when my remaining dues were not cleared, I quit the project. Since that day, no one from Nadiadwala’s office has called me to discuss about the pending payment.”

Gulab Rao, another technician who supplied machines for special effects in the song, says he is also awaiting his payment of nearly Rs 2.7 lakh. He says, “After the Chandivali Studios schedule, I supplied machines to them for the Mehboob Studios leg and promised to clear the previous dues. But, no payment has been made for any of the schedules yet. Nadiadwala has done similar things in the past too. I am tired of going to his office as his manager doesn’t allow us to meet him.”

Apart from these two technicians, sources suggest the actors and a few other crew members are also awaiting payment. “Barring one actor, nobody else has been paid,” adds a source.

Nadiadwala was not available for comment.