One of the big issues in the TV industry right now is non-payment of dues. While some actors talk about it, others prefer to stay silent hoping that they will get their monies at some point.

After waiting for two-and-a-half years, actors of Dastaan-E-Mohabbat Salim Anarkali are now speaking out against the production house. The show launched in October 2018 and wrapped up in just three months. However the actors say they must be paid their remuneration, because they worked on the show for almost six months.

Sonarika Bhadoria, who played Anarkali, says, “They owed me Rs. 80 lakhs, but I have only been paid Rs. 7 to Rs. 8 lakhs so far. I have taken the legal route and I hope to get what is due to me.”

Other actors who are awaiting their dues include Shahbaz Khan, Gurdip Punjj, Tassnim Sheikh and Anand Goradia. While Shahbaz, Tassnim and Gurdip have over Rs. 10 lakhs pending, Anand’s pending dues add up to five-six lakhs. All these actors kept calling the producer, Anirudh Pathak, but he did not respond. They have now approached CINTAA (Cine and TV Artistes’ Association) to look into the matter. Shahbaz, who played Akbar, says, “We had started shooting much before the show launched. It is our hard-earned money and we should get it. Every time we try reaching the producer,he doesnot respond. We are all going through tough times, some of us sitting at home without work during the pandemic.”

Tassnim says, “I feel cheated. I played my part with all diligence; I wore a 25-kilo lehenga and suffered so much weight on my body only to not receive my money! It’s sad that we have to keep contacting the production house and ask for our money.”

Gurdip echoes a similar sentiment. She says, “I had kept quiet about this issue, but now I feel it is time to speak up. There’s just no response to my messages. They say the show exceeded its budget, but then the producer should have realised that. You can’t not pay your actors because of that!”

Anand Goradia says he has gone through some difficult times personally and the money would have really helped. He says, “My mother passed away a few months ago. When she was hospitalised, I needed money for her treatment. I kept contacting the production house at that time hoping to get my dues, but I got no response.”

When we reached out to producer Anirudh Pathak, he said, “Salim Anarkali was abruptly pulled off air in three months. We incurred huge losses. After that the pandemic struck. I haven’t refused to pay, but because of the losses I incurred, I had to shut my own production house. Now, I am trying to earn as a writer and pay everyone. It will take time.”