The actor rubbishes conspiracy theories that allege his involvement in Sushant Singh Rajput and his former manager Disha Salian’s deaths
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 4, 2020)

A lot of rumours have been doing the rounds, which, in a way, blame you for Sushant Singh Rajput’s and his former manager Disha Salian’s deaths. It’s been speculated that Disha was pregnant with your child, and Sushant, who reportedly had a scuffle with you in 2017, was aware of it and was about to expose you. It’s also been said that Salman Khan has been protecting you...
What scuffle with Sushant? I never had any argument with him, which I have clarified before as well. And, why will Salman Khan get involved in my life? Does he not have other things to do? I don’t even know who Disha is, I have never met her in my life. I found out about her after Sushant’s death, and I feel bad for the families involved. Someone has written this rubbish on their personal Facebook page, made it into a movie script and put it out there.

Taking up for you, your father (actor Aditya Pancholi) has said, “Somebody makes up a vague story, puts it online, people lap it up and make him the villain!”
It feels like it’s me against the world. First of all, it’s painful that Sushant is no more. People using his name for whatever reasons is wrong. The situation is such that anyone writes anything and it goes viral in a few minutes. People who don’t know the truth, actually believe what’s been written. I have also been getting supportive messages saying, ‘Be strong and cope with it, these are hard times and jobless people are spreading these rumours’. But, at the end of the day, I am human, too.

Are you saying that there was no hostility between Sushant and you whatsoever?
None at all. He was a senior actor and way more successful. I was not in his league to even compete with him. I was nowhere a threat to him. He treated me like a younger brother. Whenever we met, we either spoke about films or my fitness training. When the article about our ‘tiff’ came out in 2017, it was Sushant who had reached out to me. He told me, ‘Bro, yeh koi faltu article aaya hai saying Salman bhai is angry with me. Can you please give a statement to clarify this?’ He thought it would be better if I stated the facts, as the story claimed that he misbehaved with me. I clarified the reports. We met for dinner at a friend’s place after that in Bandra, clicked that funny picture where we posed like we are fighting and that’s it. We had each other’s numbers. He called me for movie screenings, and I even went for Raabta screening. We must have met around four-five times.

Were you in touch with Sushant in the recent past?
No, I wasn’t. He was not a best friend of mine or anything. We had never been to each other’s houses. We were from the same industry, that’s all.

How true are the ‘Salman Khan is defending Sooraj’ stories?
Why would he do this for me? Salman Khan is the producer of my first film (Hero, 2015). He gave us a chance, and after that, it has been my journey. He is not responsible for what we do in the future. You need to find your way. I cannot rely on Salman sir and cannot expect him to be my Godfather. I have never been dependent on him and he wouldn’t want it that way, too.

Why do you think you find yourself being dragged into controversies over and over again? Is it also fuelled by the fact that you were among the privileged to be launched by Salman Khan, and of course, the whole nepotism debate?
If it was all about nepotism, I would have been on my 10th film by now. Nepotism has nothing to do with what’s happening right now. I worked from a very young age as an assistant director. First on Guzaarish (2010) and then on Ek Tha Tiger (2012). That is where I met Salman sir and he had promised me that he would give me a film because he must have seen some potential in me. He asked me whether I wanted to be an actor and I worked really hard for it. It’s not that I came out of nowhere, woke up from my sleep and went to a movie set. The first film that I auditioned for was Kai Po Che (2013), and I was rejected there. I worked on myself after that. I also auditioned for Hero (2015). My mom is 60. She has been in the industry for over 30 years and till date, she auditions for movies. It’s a myth that star kids don’t have to give auditions.

You already have a case looming over your head (Jiah Khan) and now, the Sushant-Disha tragedy has your name being dragged into it.
I am very numb and hurt right now. This is affecting me a lot. I don’t know what to say. It’s been eight years and my case (Jiah) hasn’t even taken off and it’s only because Rabiya Khan (Jiah’s mother) doesn’t show up in court. I had to face the CBI since I was 21-22. I have cooperated with the police. I have done everything possible, haven’t missed a single date in court even when I was down with fever. But if the complainant (Rabiya) isn’t showing up in court, what are they looking for?
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ADITYA PANCHOLI: WHY IS MY SON BEING DRAGGED INTO THIS?

Sooraj’s family is upset about him being dragged into this controversy. His father, actor Aditya Pancholi, told us, “Why is my son being dragged into this? Truth will eventually come out, but if he does something to himself tomorrow, who is to be blamed? He has been going through a tough time for seven-eight years now.

Somebody makes up a vague story, puts it online, people lap it up and make him the villain! People need to be responsible about what they share on the web. Shouldn’t you let the cops do their job? No one is above the law. You cannot kill anyone and get away with it. Sooraj was cordial with Sushant. If Disha was pregnant, wouldn’t that be in the police records?”

Sooraj Pancholi explains why his musical is delayed, dismisses rumours of a new romance, insists he wants to remain single and focus on work
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 31, 2019)

It’s been four years since you made your debut with Hero. Why did it take you so long to return with your second film, Satellite Shankar?
Even before Hero’s release and later, I got many offers but nothing I really wanted to do. So, I waited. Meanwhile, my personal problems grew bigger and compounded the delay.

What’s the status on the Stanley D’Costa musical, Time To Dance, which was to be your second release and would flag off Isabelle Kaif’s career?
That’s for T-Series to answer; we have just seven days of shoot left. When I got back from Time to Dance, I gave my dates to Murad (Khetani) sir and Ashwin (Varde) sir for Satellite Shankar which was not with T-Series at that point. I sport long hair in the musical and had to cut it short for this film. Since I couldn’t grow out my hair and cut it again twice, that seven days’ shoot is now scheduled for December.

Buzz is, the film is almost 70 per cent complete, but Salman Khan didn’t like the rushes and the project has been scrapped.
Not 70 per cent, it’s 95 per cent complete. And he wanted just two songs to be reshot which is about three days of work each. I can only do my job as an actor, everything else is the producer’s call.

In retrospect, do you think starting out with the remake of an iconic film like Hero was a mistake?
At that point, I wasn’t in the position to take my own call because despite my film background, I didn’t know much about the industry. I had professionals taking decisions on the film and I had big shoes to fill as Hero was a big film in its time. I feel blessed to be a part of the film. From here on, it’s for me to prove myself.

The army has been getting youngsters to enlist through recruitment drives and advertisements. Do you think Satellite Shankar will inspire more people to join the forces?
It’s an inspiring story and showcases a soldier’s love for the country and vice versa. I hope more people join the army. Some time ago, I read that 2000 Kashmiris turned up for the recruitment drive in the Valley.

Your film releases on the same day as Ayushmann Khurrana’s Bala. Does that make you anxious?
Competition is healthy. I’m not Shah Rukh, Aamir or Salman Khan or even Akshay Kumar to get my preferred release date though I hope to be in an enviable position in future. If not Bala, it could have been a bigger Hollywood release. Of course, Ayushmann is a big star and Bala is looking good.

What’s next?
A sports biopic to be shot in Haryana which will begin after I wrap up Time To Dance and cut my hair. It’s the story of an unsung hero who won India a couple of gold medals in boxing, but only a few people know about him. No, no names.

Is Salman Khan still micro-managing your career?
He is my mentor and I respect him. His only advice is that I should do a film only if it feels right. I want to make him happy and proud with my work. My family is happy with me anyway.

Your sister was to make her debut some years ago…
She says now that the industry is not for her. She is in the restaurant business.

And what’s your mom, Zarina Wahab, doing?
Her last film was PM Narendra Modi. She enjoys working and could be doing a role in Salman sir’s Radhe. There were talks about her playing my mother in Satellite Shankar, but things didn’t work out.

What about working with your dad, Aditya Pancholi?
We shared screen space in Hero, I don’t know if it will happen again. That chapter is done. I want to work with mom because she is the more emotional actor.

What’s happening on his legal battle with Kangana Ranaut?
I don’t want to discuss that. It’s been very tough for the family, especially my mother and sister.

You were recently spotted with a pretty foreigner. Is there a romance brewing?
I have some friends but just because one of them is white, people assumed there’s a romance. I want to be single and invest all my energy into my career right now.

Leading Bollywood actor also tells the police that she detailed the serial assaults, which happened between 2004 and 2006, to a senior IPS officer, but no action was taken
Faizan Khan and Samiullah Khan (MID-DAY; July 3, 2019)

Days after an A-list Bollywood actor registered an FIR accusing actor Aditya Pancholi of rape, mid-day has accessed the complainant's statement to the police, in which she has detailed how Pancholi drugged, raped and blackmailed her from the time she was trying to break into the film industry. The actor has also said that she'd met a senior IPS officer in 2004-06 and narrated what she had been through with Pancholi, but no action was taken.

The actor completed giving her statement on June 26 and the FIR against Pancholi was filed on June 27. In the statement, she has narrated details from 2004, when she had entered the industry as a minor. In the two-and-a-half page statement to the Versova police, the actress has stated, "In 2004, I came to Mumbai with the dream of becoming a big actor someday. That year, I met Aditya Pancholi, who was then 38 years old, almost 22 years older than me. I used to stay at a hostel with group of girls while he was married and had two children; his daughter was my age then."

Raped inside a car
The actor said in her statement, "In 2004, I went to a party with him. Sometime after having a drink, I started feeling dizzy. I suspected then that he [Pancholi] had spiked my drink. After the party got over, Pancholi said he will drop me home. So I went with him in his Range Rover car. He stopped it in the middle of Yari road and started getting forcefully physical with me. He also took photographs of, which I wasn't aware of."

"When we met the next time, he said we now share a relationship like the one between a husband and wife and we will live that way. I told him he was my father's age and I want to marry someone who is as old as me. Then, he showed me all the photographs he'd taken of me inside his car and started blackmailing me. He threatened to show these pictures to others. At the time, I was quite young, I had no one in Mumbai and he took the advantage of that," said the actress.

Senior Officer Was Informed
She also said she'd spoken to a senior police officer about the alleged harassment. "From 2004 to 2006, Pancholi kept me at different locations and established a forceful physical relationship with me by spiking my drinks all the time. He used to take my photos to blackmail and threaten me. Once, I was going to file a complaint against him, but he stopped my autorickshaw and beat me up; I was rescued by a pedestrian who me getting thrashed. At the time, I met and informed senior police officer Bipin Bihari about the incident," the actress said.

mid-day repeatedly tried to contact Bihari, but he remained unavailable for comment. He is currently a DG-rank officer of the Maharashtra police, posted as the managing director of the Maharashtra State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation. Between 2004-06 he was the additional commissioner (west region) of Mumbai police.

The actress also stated, "Between 2004 to 2005, I shifted to Pallavi Apartment with my aunt. Pancholi would come to that flat all the time with his friends and get forcefully physical with me. Every time, he would carry some medicine to spike my drinks. I used to feel dizzy after having them. He locked me in whenever he left my apartment. He would also assault me. He would give me drugs and click my photos; at the time, he used to get MDMA and ecstasy." Pancholi also managed to access the actor's Versova apartment, she alleged. "Fed up with him, in 2006-2007, I bought a flat in Versova and started living alone. Pancholi came there, made duplicate keys and trespassed into my house and assaulted me. He started breaking everything inside my house and screamed in a completely drunken state. He took all of my keys and left after locking me inside," the actress claimed.

His Wife Knew
The actor also claimed that Pancholi's wife Zarina Wahab knew about what she was going through. However, the actor said, "Instead of helping me out she said she does not have any problem with whatever is going on between me and Pancholi; both of us can carry on. She told me that she felt happy whenever Pancholi was not at home and said there will be peace at home only when he's not around. She also said that he is a big actor and she wouldn't like it if someone defamed him. He has no fear because his wife was helping him with whatever he has done to me. Through a journalist friend I also got to know that he raped a 14-year-old who used to work at a famous actress's house."

Beat up her sister
Further, she also accused Pancholi of assaulting her sister. "Between 2008 and 2009, I shifted to Bandra. My sister, who was unwell then, came to my house and we were living together. When I was away at a shoot, he came to my house and beat up my sister. When I returned home, I saw my sister was shivering and completely scared. I asked her what happened and she told me about how Pancholi had beaten her up. Then, I called him up to ask why he was troubling us, to which he started demanding money from me, saying that [I should pay] whatever he has spent on me. He asked for Rs 1 crore. In fact, I paid Rs 50 lakh and he stopped troubling us for a bit," the actress said.

But the blackmail didn't stop. "Once I got famous and people began recognising me, Pancholi once again started demanding money by blackmailing me with the photographs. I have the threatening messages he sent to my sister and brother. Pancholi kept threatening that he to send the photos to my friends, family and relatives to destroy my career," the actor claimed.

Following this, the Versova police registered an FIR against Pancholi under sections 376 (rape), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc. with intent to commit an offence), 384 (extortion), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.The Versova police had recorded Pancholi's statement on May 12, after they first received the complaint from the actor's sister via e-mail. Pancholi denied all allegations and also submitted video footage to them of the actor's lawyer allegedly talking about the rape case that would be filed if Pancholi didn't withdraw the defamation complaint against her. A senior police officer said, "We are investigating the matter and will record the statement of everyone named in the complainant's statement. Apart from this, we are also examining the video footage submitted by the accused."

Pancholi's Lawyer Says
Pancholi's lawyer Prashant Patil said, "The case against my client has been filed with mala fide intentions the day after the Andheri Magistrate Metropolitan court summoned the complainant and her sister in a criminal defamation case filed by my client. The complainant was quiet for 15 years. She says one thing in her statement to the police while her sister tweets something different."

Pancholi Gets Bail
The Dindoshi sessions court on Tuesday granted interim relief from arrest to Aditya Pancholi till July 19 in connection with the rape case on executing a personal bond of Rs 30,000. Under the conditions for the bail, Pancholi has been asked to go to the Versova police station every Wednesday and co-operate with the interrogation.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 29, 2019)

Legal hassles don’t seem to leave Aditya Pancholi’s side. On Thursday, June 27, the Mumbai Police lodged a rape case against him on a complaint filed by a well-known actress. Reportedly, the complaint has been filed against the actor in the matter that purportedly took place many years ago, when he had allegedly sexually assaulted the actress.

The FIR has been lodged at the Versova Police Station under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and a probe has been launched. Reports state that the police has registered the case vide CR no 198/2019 under sections 376, 328, 384, 341, 342, 323 and 506 of the IPC. In her complaint, the actress told the police that Aditya had sexually assaulted her several times between 2004 and 2009. She also alleged that he beat her up and kept her confined in the house. Until last afternoon, Aditya had not been questioned by the police.

When we reached out to the actor, he told us, “This is a false case. The charges of drugging, raping and extorting money are all wrong. This move is premeditated; I knew this was coming. I had recorded a conversation with her lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee, in which he had threatened my wife (Zarina Wahab) and me of creating legal hassles for us if we didn’t withdraw our defamation cases against his client.”

Aditya adds, “The conversation was recorded by me during a meeting held on January 6 this year. The other voices in the video are of my wife Zarina and me. We submitted the evidence to the court earlier this year with a report verifying that the material has not been doctored. I’m not surprised that they have filed a case with these charges against me. What this actress doesn’t realise is that her sister and she will have to prove every word that they have spoken against my wife and me. We don’t live in a jungle; the law is above everything and everyone.”

When asked how his family has reacted to the news of the fresh charges against him, Aditya says, “My family knows the facts. This move is premeditated. We have evidence for what we’re talking.”

We reached to the complainant’s lawyer, but there was no response till the time of going to press.

The actress and her sister have been issued summons by the Andheri Metropolitan Court, in connection with the criminal defamation cases filed by actors Aditya Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 27, 2019)

Call it a strange coincidence, but Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel have been summoned to court on July 26, the day the actress’ next, Mental Hai Kya, releases. They have been issued summons by the Andheri Metropolitan Court in the criminal defamation cases filed by Aditya Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab in 2017.

Four cases were filed after Kangana allegedly defamed the actor couple on national TV, while Rangoli took to social media to make allegations against him. Summons have been issued in connection with each case — Aditya Pancholi vs Kangana Ranaut, Aditya Pancholi vs Rangoli Chandel, Zarina Wahab vs Kangana Ranaut and Zarina Wahab vs Rangoli Chandel.

Aditya, who is being represented by advocate Shreya Srivastava, told BT, “We filed the case in 2017, when Kangana appeared on two TV shows and said a lot of things against my wife and me, which we felt were extremely defamatory. It’s taken two years for the matter to get this far, but I trust our judiciary to serve justice. The court has finally issued summons against both the sisters. Kangana had said a lot of stuff, which she will now have to prove, and failing which, she will face the consequences. I understand that matters like these take their own time to conclude, but I won’t lose hope.”

Aditya’s lawyer Shreya said that Kangana and Rangoli have to be present for the hearing on July 26. She added, “We had filed these cases two years ago. The judge had issued orders to investigate the matter, and the police did not find any FIRs or NCs against Aditya, as claimed by Kangana on television. If the sisters don’t turn up, they will have to apply for bail on the same day. They’ve been charged for a bailable offence.”

We reached out to Kangana and Rangoli’s team, but they didn’t respond to our queries till we went to press.

Bollywood actors and filmmakers share their fondest memories of Veeru Devgan who helped them pull punches on the screen for almost three decades
Natasha Coutinho, Avinash Lohana, Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 28, 2019)

Flying punches, gravity-defying kicks, blood and dhishoom dhishoom, the Bollywood audience of the 1980s and ’90s loved all this, and Veeru Devgan delivered stunts in plenty, stylishly packaged in films like Kranti, Loha, Himmatwala, Khatron Ke Khilaadi, Dilwale and Phool Aur Kaante to compete with the gun-slinging Westerns. On Monday, the action director-turned-producer-director breathed his last in Mumbai. He was 77.

Through the ’70s,’80 s and a sizeable part of the ’90s, Veeru Devgan was the man to go to for action sequences. “He worked systematically, within a budget, with creativity. He’ll be remembered as an iconic action director who always wanted to make a film,” shares producer and distribution partner Suneel Darshan.

Boney Kapoor agrees that Veeru ji was among the best in the industry, always ready to try something new, and was in demand for the longest time. “His Hanuman sequence in Mr India is unforgettable while Sanjay’s (Kapoor) ‘test’ on the bridge in Prem was brilliantly executed. The train robbery in Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja still remains way ahead of similar sequences attempted by international stunt coordinators later,” he eulogises.

Gulshan Grover lauds the action director for redefining kicking techniques in Hindi cinema. “Since not everyone is flexible, he made the actor wear trousers and shoes on his hand and punch. This translated as a mighty kick on camera, a trick I incorporated in one of my early Hollywood films, The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo,” informs the ‘Bad Man’.

Shatrughan Sinha reveals that when they were doing Mere Apne in 1971, while the film’s action director was Ravi Khanna, debutant director Gulzar got Veeru ji to choreograph most of the action. He goes on to confide how the fight master played Cupid for him and wife Poonam on the sets of their film Dharti Ki Godh Mein, spiriting away his future mother-in-law so he could ride away with his lady love during an action scene. He remembers Veeru ji as a disciplined man who fasted twice a week and after he retired, was happy to devote himself to his family.

He was like family for Anil Kapoor who’d walk in and out of his house and gratefully recalls how Veeru ji made action scenes safe and easy for him when he was just starting out as an actor. Jackie Shroff agrees, describing him as an ever-smiling, gentle soul. “He took care of actors like his children and made the biggest action sequences simple for us,” shares Jackie who’s worked with him in Izzat, Police Officer and Doodh Ka Karz.

Anil adds, “During shooting, if we ever fell short of money, Boney would unhesitatingly turn to him, he was always there for us. His contribution to Mr India was immense.”

Kumar Mangat whose association with Veeru ji spans 38 years since he was a production manager, reiterates Anil’s claim: “When I turned producer, Veeru ji bailed me out whenever I ran out of money. He didn’t even charge me for the action in Qayamat Ki Raat and after Ajay was launched as an actor, he told me to manage his work.”

For Shakti Kapoor he was a “royal man” who always stayed in five-star hotels when in Chennai or Hyderabad. “And whenever I was there, he’d insist on having dinner together. He was the highest paid action coordinator in India and technically very sound,” he says, recalling Veeru ji telling him to help his introverted son open up before he got into films. “I’m happy he saw Ajay become a superstar.”

Ajay’s director-actor buddy, Sajid Khan, remembers how, as teenagers, they’d hang out at his building in the evening. “As soon as Veeru ji arrived, Ajay would go home even if we were in the middle of a cricket match. He pushed Ajay hard because as the best action director’s son, he had to be the best action hero. And till the last day, Ajay respected and cared for him like a good son.”

The memories come flooding for Harry Baweja for whom Veeru ji was a “pillar of support” when he produced and directed his first film Dilwale. “He treated me like a younger brother,” he says emotionally.

Another filmmaker Milan Luthria reminisces how when he had to wait for Ajay’s dates, his father would call him into his cabin and promise to help. “It is unheard for someone to have done over 500 films and never have a disagreement with anyone,” Milan asserts.

Aditya Pancholi recalls the Rs 100 baksheesh he got for fearlessly standing at a high point and jumping on boxes at Madh Fort for an action scene in Dus Numbri while producer-director Rajiv Rai who worked with Veeru ji in Tridev points out that the ’80s were tough times for action directors because of the lack of CGI and VFX. “But there were seldom any accidents on his sets. He was the Amitabh Bachchan of action, he worked with many cameras and I learnt a lot about technique from him,” Rai remembers from London.

Anees Bazmee who’s returned from the shoot of Pagalpanti in London, flashbacks to how in the ‘90s, when films had three-four busy heroes, Veeru ji helped resolve date issues and when that was not possible, would shoot with actors separately in a way that the audience didn’t realise it. “He was brilliant!” raves the writer-director. 

Day after mid-day reported that police are investigating him following a complaint of 'assault and exploitation', Aditya Pancholi shares what he claims are threats against him
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; May 16, 2019)

Days after investigations were opened into an A-list actor's complaint against actor Aditya Pancholi, accusing him of sexually exploiting her 13 years ago, he has shared a video with mid-day in which the actor's lawyer is supposedly seen discussing the case with Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab. Pancholi, who had earlier claimed he was threatened with a rape case by the lawyer, has submitted the video to the police as well.

Pancholi shared a five minute 50-second recording of the 18-minute conversation he and his wife Zarina Wahab had with the actor's lawyer on January 6. The lawyer, who knows Pancholi socially, had asked to meet him. During their meeting, the defamation cases Pancholi has filed against the actor were discussed, which is when the case the actor's sister ended up filing against Pancholi came up.

Pancholi claims he was threatened by the lawyer. He has shared the videos with the Versova police along with a written complaint on May 11 against the actor and her sister. He stated in the complaint, "After I filed a case against [the actor and her sister] before the honourable metropolitan magistrate's 44th court in Andheri, they were summoned but they failed to appear. They are using various pressure tactics so that I withdraw all four cases I've filed two years ago. Now, a false, fabricated afterthought has been filed which is a tissue of lies [sic] after 14 years."

Referring to the tape he shared with mid-day, Pancholi said, "This is the truth. These kind of allegations are being made against me with mala fide intentions to malign my image for personal gain. Now, the truth is out there. Let the law take its course. I'm sure I'll get justice."

"When the meeting concluded, he clearly hinted that I should withdrew all of my criminal defamation cases against his client or else there will be a rape case against me, but I didn't listen to him. Thus, as the lawyer mentioned in the video, the actor's sister filed the complaint against me in March," he added.

To prove the authenticity of the video, Pancholi has also shared a certificate from a private agency which has verified the video. Speaking about the development, a police officer said, "We are looking into all the aspects." mid-day reached out to the actor's sister, but she remained unavailable for comment. Their lawyer, meanwhile, refused to comment.

'This Is Bigger Than #MeToo'

Lawyer: So, there was Aditya bhai's pressure. She [the actor] was upset because she felt she had been wronged. On top of that, she said he is troubling me and putting pressure on me. If he continues to bait the law like this, I will also do the same, she said, adding, I will also file a case against him, whatever case it may be.

Wahab: Which case?

Lawyer: I told him about it — a rape case. Yes, a rape case, meaning Aditya bhai raped her. That theirs was a forced relationship, which falls under the definition of rape...She claims it was forced, she was pressured and assaulted and how incidents have been reported in the media as well. Anyway, I don't want to get into that.

Pancholi: No, who is saying all of this to you? The actor or her sister?

Lawyer: Whatever case will be filed will be through the sister... They are going in a different direction. This is another kind of #MeToo altogether. It would be bigger than that; than Alok Nath's case.

Pancholi: So they want to make this bigger than that?

Lawyer: This will automatically turn into a big deal, I'm telling you. [Referring to Aditya] He is a very good man and I know him personally, but because he's very open and vocal about whatever he does, this will backfire and I don't want that.

Last month, Kangana Ranaut’s sister Rangoli Chandel sent an email complaint to the cops alleging that Aditya Pancholi had assaulted and exploited the actress a decade ago. Now, Aditya has filed a counter complaint
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; May 16, 2019)

The long-standing feud between Kangana Ranaut and Aditya Pancholi is getting murkier by the day. The Versova police has opened an investigation against Aditya after receiving a complaint on e-mail from Kangana’s sister Rangoli Chandel on April 9, which reportedly alleges that the actress was subjected to assault and exploitation by Aditya a decade ago. In turn, Aditya has filed a counter complaint claiming that Kangana's lawyer had threatened to file a rape case against him. When BT contacted the Versova police station, they confirmed that they were in receipt of the complaints.

When we reached out to Aditya, he said, “My wife (Zarina Wahab) and I filed a defamation case against Kangana and her sister Rangoli in September 2017, after she gave interviews alleging that I did this and that to her (abuse).” The actor went on to add that Kangana's lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee pressurised him to withdraw the defamation case and he has a recording of their conversation. Aditya said, “I recorded his conversation and submitted it to the court on April 10. The case was on and I told the honourable judge in my statement that this lawyer had threatened to file a rape case against me in January. I got the pen drive (with the videos of his conversation) verified under the Indian Evidence Act. I have a certificate which proves that the videos are not doctored. I have submitted the evidence with the certificate at the Versova police station, and given an application to investigate the videos that I have submitted.” While Bombay Times has a copy of the application submitted by Aditya to the cops, we haven't been able to verify his claims. We also reached out to Kangana, her sister Rangoli and their lawyer, but they did not respond till the time of going to press.

The complaint was filed by Bollywood A-lister's sister on her behalf
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; May 15, 2019)

Versova police have opened an investigation against veteran Bollywood actor Aditya Pancholi after they received an email application from the sister of a leading Bollywood A-list actor. It is learned that the complaint was about "assault and exploitation" at a time the actor began her career over a decade ago. Pancholi told mid-day that the actor's lawyer threatened him with a false rape case following a defamation suit Pancholi filed against her. The police recorded Pancholi's statement on May 12.

An officer told mid-day on condition of anonymity, "After receiving the complaint, we have approached the actor to record her statement so we can ascertain the nature of alleged exploitation and file the FIR under appropriate sections."

"The incident happened 13 years ago and we have to gather lot of evidence to register an FIR. In her application, the complainant has also alleged that Pancholi's wife was aware of this," the officer added.

While speaking to mid-day, Pancholi said, "I have already filed a defamation case against the actor, which is sub-judice. Following the defamation case, her lawyer, on January 6 this year, threatened to file a rape case against me if I didn't withdraw the defamation case against his client. Thankfully, I have recorded the 18-minute meeting with him. The video in the form of evidence has been submitted to the court and to the police as well."

"This is a conspiracy against me. I was surprised when the Versova cops reached out to me with a notice on April 25 this year at my residence. The very same day, I informed the investigating officer about the video I had recorded. I have also given a detailed statement on May 12 to the Versova police and submitted the video with my application," Pancholi said.

A senior officer from Versova police station said, "After recording the statements of both the parties and inquiring about the matter, we will decide on a further course of action." Messages and calls to the actor and her sister remained unanswered. The actor's lawyer said he did not want to comment. The actor's representative refused comment.

Meena Iyer (DNA; January 15, 2019)

2019 looks like a particularly exciting year for you. More so as last year we hardly saw you on screen.
(Laughs) There were only cases; about six to seven of them. People were trying to put me behind bars, can you believe that? They should make a film on my life also (laughs uncontrollably). This year, I have Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi, Mental Hai Kya and Panga, all of these are exciting subjects. I personally feel that life moves like a wave. I have had a really horrible time and I hope it changes this year. 2018 was bad. My films weren’t working, cases were filed against me; it was going really downhill, till a point, it couldn’t go any further down. But you never know; life has a way of surprising you. Hopefully, it will change for the better.

You are an extraordinarily spirited individual. But do you see yourself as a lone wolf?
I don’t feel lonely, because honestly, people may not be there with me physically, but I get a lot of support from various quarters. I’ve stood up for so many things. But I’ve never had a situation where I had egg on my face publicly. Like I said, it may not necessarily be from our industry, but I do get support from individuals across different walks of life. God knows where that comes from and how much people really resonate and identify with me.

For example, when the whole nepotism thing happened, Karan Johar went on record and apologised to me. There are a whole lot of instances of such a nature. When I began shooting for Manikarnika, I switched off from everything. I never bothered about it, but there were these never-ending open letters. Even in the past, when I faced uneasy accusations from one quarter and I was sent a notice, there was such an outrage. But though I was not relevantly a big star and I was having this conflict with a co-actor, I did find people supporting me.

However, at times I did feel cornered, especially after Simran’s failure. Script writer Apurva Asrani, filmmakers Ketan Mehta, Karan Johar and Rakesh Roshan and some others singled me out for criticism. The industry was having these intense meetings to make sure I was put in my place. Probably that was the only phase when I felt suffocated.

It makes me feel suffocated even now when I think about it. Ketan went to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Aditya Pancholi filed a case and Rakesh Roshan continued to say he would ‘reveal’ something. However, all of this didn’t go anywhere.

The EOW withdrew the case. Nothing came out of that propaganda, they did. As for nepotism, Karan had to apologise. But at that time, I felt I couldn’t take it anymore because there were six-seven things happening simultaneously and I was the lone target.

Is the Bollywood hierarchy dominated by Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt and you? How do you view the top position?
Let’s not have any delusions about that. The kind of place Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan naturally inherited from their seniors like Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan worked differently. Actually as far as the girls go, this is not something that can be looked upon so superficially. With women it has been different. What we have currently is definitely as good as it can get.  However, I don’t know about us being a part of the hierarchy. In the ’80s and ’90s, we’ve had Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit-Nene, who enjoyed a certain spurt of superstardom. If you see, there were those small phases of stardom that they saw, it was very age oriented and focused only around that span of time. Keeping all that in mind, we’ve definitely made a better place for ourselves. But are we on par with our male counterparts? No. However, we do wield a certain amount of influence on the audience and that feels good.

A recent media report quoted you as saying that you can identify with Rani Lakshmibai because there are similarities between your life and hers.
I don’t think I said exactly that. Her life was very extreme. It would be naive of me to say that I identify with her life or say my life is similar to that of hers. We are born in free India. Our issues are, jaise kehte hain na, ‘amiron ki gambhir samasyaaein’. In those days, there were real problems. The way she struggled, or even how unfortunate her death was. It’s too much for us to realise its intensity.

We can fight cases openly, we have a proper constitution. But someone throwing you out of your palace or for that matter from your land because they think they can grab your wealth! Jhansi was one of the princely states at that time, especially a Hindu princely state and perhaps the richest. So, they had very real issues. But I do identify with her spirit. And that is perhaps what I have tried to convey. If I’m tested, I don’t know to what extent; but not giving up, standing for what I feel and having a voice is definitely what I identify with.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 26, 2018)

After four years of waiting in the wings, Sooraj Pancholi has started shooting for his second film, Time To Dance, with newcomer Isabelle Kaif (Katrina Kaif ’s sister), in London. He is relieved and excited to finally face the camera again. The actor spoke to BT about the long interval between his first two films and his impending court case. Excerpts...

Time To Dance has come your way after a long wait. In the last four years, there was talk about several films that you were expected to headline, but none took off…
That phase was as confusing for me as it was for everyone else. It has been a long journey since Hero (2015). I read a lot of scripts, but I didn’t find anything that challenged me. Also, none of the films that I had heard during that phase took off; maybe they were ill-fated or maybe, I wasn’t destined to be a part of them. It all happens for the best. What I am doing now is more challenging than whatever I was offered.

Are your parents (Aditya and Zarina Pancholi) happy that you are back on set?
My parents stay in the next wing of my building and all they knew then was that I used to go for dance rehearsals. Now, they are very happy that I am rightfully occupied. Things are moving for me. I’m hoping to start shooting for another film in August.

After such a big launch, waiting for so many years for the second film to take off can get frustrating for an actor, right?
When Hero released, it wasn’t the best time for the movies, but though the film featured newcomers, it did good business. People expected bigger numbers from my film for obvious reasons. If Hero had released today, it would have done very well, like Baaghi 2 (2018) and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018). Also, at that time, looking at the business, not too many people wanted to back a new actor and run a risk. Times are a lot better now.

Were people apprehensive about you because you were a newcomer who had an impending court case?
See, if I was a producer, even I would think about these things, as there is lot money riding on actors. I have charges levelled against me. At the onset, people probably didn’t cast me because they wanted things to settle down. While I completely believe in our legal system, it has taken time. It took five years for my trial to merely start. I don’t know how long it will take before it ends. I will have to battle this throughout.

Talk was that although producers were keen to work with you, some actresses refused to be paired with you...
Not everyone, one or two actresses did have apprehensions and they made it evident. Strangely, the films I was being offered weren’t with top heroines. Like a football-based film, which only had male characters. There was no part for a girl or a love story. Also, an actress doesn’t refuse a film only because a director or an actor is bad, it’s also because they often feel that they have insufficient screen time. Everyone has ups and downs, and people behave in a certain manner, which you can’t do much about.

Do you think the perception about you has changed after the trial began earlier this year?
No. I think till it doesn’t end and even after it ends, people will still think that I come from a known family and so, we must have pulled strings. I am not thinking much about this. I have been blamed for something grave and I will have to live with that all my life. Even after my case is over, it will haunt me.

Do you think you will be able to move on and fall in love again?
Of course, I will. It has been five years. I mean, I was blamed for something that I feel was unfair. I was 21 then, I am 27 now. When I look at 21-year-old boys, I feel they’re all my younger brothers who don’t know what it is to be put behind bars at that age. Trust me, age has nothing to do with maturity, although at 21, a boy is considered an adult.

What does love mean to you today?
It’s a feeling which I am very open to and I have experienced it again after Jiah (Khan) passed away. I believe that if one relationship fails, it doesn’t imply that the next one doesn’t stand a chance. If I don’t think that way, I will be stuck for life in a time warp. Life has to go on. I was in a beautiful relationship recently which is in a confused state right now.

Talking about your contemporaries, Harshvardhan Kapoor and Tiger Shroff have had at least two releases each. Tiger has raced further ahead. Does the competition around you ever make you nervous about what lies ahead?
I feel that if I didn’t go through a tough phase in my life, things would have been incomplete. I am happy that I am going through a difficult phase. It can’t get worse than this. The future will be easier, whether good or bad, I am prepared for everything. Had everything been perfect, maybe I would not have been equipped to deal with tough times in the future. My experiences have made me a mature person. My only question is: Everyone will move on, and make my life a dinner table discussion, but what about the years that I have lost?

Most newcomers have found their backing in influential people or production studios. Do you feel the lack of it?
I am still very close to Salman Khan. He hears all the scripts that come to me. He sits through all the narrations. He’s pretty much there for me all the time. I don’t expect too much from him, but he does a lot for me. Now, it’s my job to find my way through.

Have people from the industry extended their support to you?
People from the industry have been very nice to me, but I am not concerned about them because they know everything. Everyone here knows everything about everyone. It’s just that no one wants to come out and say anything because they have nothing to do with it. They think, ‘If he’s doing well, we will sign him in future’. If my case is still on after the two films in queue, and if these films do well, then the ride home might get a little smoother.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 13, 2017)

The actor has deleted his Twitter account after being dragged into the Aditya Pancholi-Kangana Ranaut controversy
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; September 13, 2017)

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; May 29, 2017)

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; December 24, 2016)

Granted Bail, Actor To Appeal Conviction For Assault
Swati Deshpande (THE TIMES OF INDIA; September 6, 2016)