In a significant escalation of the controversy surrounding the film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, producer Vashu Bhagnani has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against the film’s director Ali Abbas Zafar, co-producer Himanshu Mehra, and finance head Ekesh Randive. The allegations, registered on December 8, 2024, at the Bandra Police Station, include financial fraud, forgery, and criminal misconduct.

The FIR, initiated following a December 2 court order, lists multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code, including 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).

Bhagnani has accused Zafar and his associates of conspiring to inflate the film’s budget from the originally approved Rs. 125 crore (excluding actor fees) to Rs. 154 crore without proper justification. Specific allegations include forging invoices, overspending on luxury accommodations, equipment rentals, and hiring external vendors without necessary approvals. The FIR also claims that Bhagnani’s signatures were forged to misappropriate funds.

According to the FIR, the irregularities began after Bhagnani signed a four-film contract with actor Akshay Kumar in February 2021, with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan as one of the projects. Later that year, Zafar was brought on board to direct and write the script, Mehra was assigned as co-producer, and Randive was appointed to oversee financial management.