Troubles continue for Vikram Bhatt, who, along with his wife Shwetambari, was granted interim bail, subject to bail bonds, on February 13 in a Rs. 30 crore fraud case. Days after casting director Parag Chadha called out Bhatt for alleged non-payment of dues on the 2023 film, 1920: Horrors Of The Heart, more voices have come to the fore.

A crew member, on the condition of anonymity, told mid-day, “Rs 20 lakh was the amount agreed upon as my fee. Not a single penny was paid, neither to my assistants nor to me.”

1920: Horrors Of The Heart was directed by Bhatt's daughter Krishna Bhatt. His wife is also credited as one of the producers. It starred Avika Gor, Danish Pandor and Rahul in lead roles. While the primary actors were fully paid, the crew alleges that it faced a common trajectory from the producers-- excuses, delays and eventual shut down.

Sneh Sharma, who was Gor's make-up artist on the film, claimed she chased the production for months to get her dues. To date, one lakh of her total payment is pending.

She recalled, “We kept following with the accountants, executive producers, Vikram Bhatt’s team, but none of them would give an answer. My hairstylist was on the verge of getting kicked out of her house. They paid us initially, but during the second schedule, we were told there were no funds. Yet, they went on to shoot another film!” 

Sharma, whose fee was decided as Rs. 18,000 per day, alleged she got only half her fee by the time shoot finished, and had to take the help of a cine workers’ association to get a part of her rightful pay. "I also contacted Krishna. She dismissed it by saying she wasn't part of the accounts team."

In the meantime, a few extra days of shoot for the film came up, but Sharma put her foot down. "If you're not paying, why would I come? So, they hired some other makeup artist for free." 

Chadha, who collaborated with Bhatt on as many as nine films in a span of three years, admittedly had it much worse.

The casting director lamented, “I wasn’t paid even a per cent of my casting fees. I worked on the film with my team of six people, and I had to pay them. It became a routine that every morning you would get up and call four people from the same production house, who are telling you different things. And you would hope ki kisi ki insaaniyat toh jaage. But when the signing authorities aren't paying, what will people under them do? The end of 2023 was the last time I connected with them."

What worked against the crew was lack of contracts. A senior crew member told mid-day that when he mentioned to Bhatt the need of a contract, he was told, "'We are family.'" He further shared, "The only thing that I have is an email from the office saying that this is the money that is still pending. Apart from that, I don't have anything. A lot of people worked very hard in good faith. But they were betrayed. People cried on set."

While some didn't have the confidence to reach out to cine workers associations and unions owing to absence of contracts, others were exhausted after months of ordeal, and had little hope of any external help.

1920: Horrors Of The Heart wasn't a standalone case. According to Bhatt's frequent collaborators, this was a pattern, which they overlooked out of respect and trust in long-standing partnerships. 

"Payments were always delayed but you would eventually get it because they wanted the next job to be done. But it never happened ki paisa saamne se aaya. I had to ask 50 times to get my dues. On 1920: Horrors Of The Heart, the team would constantly give you hope. They never said that they wouldn't pay. They would say, 'We don't have it right now. But it will come.' If they say we will not pay, people will create a scene. But the moment you get a little more firm, saying, 'I want the money to come in,' is when they disconnect you," he claimed. 

Chadha had taken up casting duties of Bhatt's Khilone, which followed 1920: Horrors Of The Heart, but left mid-way. "I got the lead actor, Anupria Goenka, on board. But by that time, the production house was non-responsive to me. So, I left the film in the middle. Jab 1920 ka paisa nahi mila, toh Khilone ka paisa kaise maangta? But I hear that none of the crew and cast from even Khilone has been paid," he claimed.

A crew member, who is due over Rs 40 lakhs from his long-time collaboration with Bhatt, says, "I would get a part of the payment for a film, then we would move on to the next and so on. I never received the full payment for any film. The backlog for my assistants also runs into lakhs, which I have been paying from my pocket."

Chadha has long bid adieu to the hope of getting his dues. But he wants to speak up to spread awareness among upcoming artistes. "It's just something that needs to come out. The more it comes out, the better it is for the future generation. People, who earn Rs 5,000-6,000 per day, are being pushed. You want to create awareness that whoever works with such a production house should do it at their risk," he said. 

His Instagram post has hit a chord with many artistes and technicians in the industry. But he admitted that he was initially reluctant to speak up about it.

"I was scared all this while because we know how it is (in the industry). Even if you are right, people can think, 'This guy is trouble. He puts it out on Instagram. We don't want to work with a person like that.' And it's not about delays. We understand delays. I've been working for say 15 years in the industry, nothing comes on time. But the intent to kind of give the money to somebody who's worked for you was just not there in this production house," he said.

Mumbai: Filmmaker-director Vikram Bhatt, who was arrested by Rajasthan Police last month in an alleged Rs 30 crore cheating case, has landed in fresh legal trouble after Mumbai Police registered another case of fraud against him. A new FIR has been filed accusing Bhatt and his daughter, Krishna Bhatt, of cheating a Pune-based film investor of Rs 13.5 crore.

The case stems from a complaint lodged by Pune based film financier Shivraj Prithviraj Khawade, who alleged that Bhatt induced him to invest a substantial amount in upcoming film projects by promising high returns. According to the complaint, Bhatt accepted Rs 13.50 crore from Khawade in 2021, assuring him of profits within a stipulated period. However, despite repeated follow-ups, neither the principal amount nor any profit was returned.

Police sources said the accused allegedly continued to mislead the complainant over the years, citing delays in film production and financial constraints. The complainant further alleged that the amount was neither invested as promised nor refunded even after four years. A senior police official confirmed that an FIR has been registered under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code against Vikram Bhatt and Krishna Bhatt at Versova police station. Considering the magnitude of the alleged fraud, the investigation has been transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police.

Last month, Rajasthan Police arrested Vikram Bhatt and his wife, Shwetambari Bhatt, in connection with a separate Rs 30 crore cheating case, further compounding his legal troubles. Investigators are now examining whether multiple investors were similarly duped using promises of high returns from film projects. Further investigation is underway.

Vikram Bhatt’s daughter Krishna Bhatt is set to tie the knot today with Vedant Sarda. The intimate wedding ceremony will take place in South Mumbai in the presence of family and friends. “I have always dreamt of marrying the man I loved in a traditional manner, where I am wearing a laal joda and following all the ceremonies. We knew on our first date that we would end up being together forever. Vedant wanted a grand baaraat, which he told me about on our third date itself, and I promised him a grand welcome,” says Krishna, who is a filmmaker. The couple began dating in June last year and got engaged in December.

Krishna sees many similarities between her dad and Vedant. She elaborates, “They both are very similar. They talk a lot. They make a lot of fun of me. Their jokes are really bad (laughs). Vedant also is a workaholic like my father. He also gets along well with my family. I think it is a subconscious thing, like since you love your dad, you look for similar qualities in a man. I am lucky that I found a guy who is a lot like my dad.”

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“Vedant hails from Nagpur. We met through a common friend and enjoyed talking to each other, and instantly fell for each other. We are both enthusiastic about life and work. While I am into filmmaking, he has a travel platform. He is ambitious for me, and I am ambitious for him. We balance each other out. We enjoy exploring new places and food. He has turned me into a workout junkie."

Wedding bells are ringing for filmmaker Vikram Bhatt’s daughter, director Krishna Bhatt. We have exclusively learnt that the 27-year-old, who got engaged to beau, entrepreneur Vedant Sarda in December last year, is set to marry him on June 11.

The Badnaam (2020) director confirmed the news, saying, “I’m excited and looking forward to starting a new journey, but I don’t wish to talk about it. The preparations are in full swing.”

An intimate wedding ceremony is expected to take place in Mumbai, with close family and friends in attendance. The festivities will see a mix of Gujarati and Marwadi rituals. Pre-wedding celebrations, including haldi, sangeet and mehendi, will begin on June 10.

Vedant hails from Nagpur and lived in the USA. He met Krishna during his visit to India in April last year and it was love at first sight for the couple. After their engagement, they spoke to us about their “filmi” love.

Krishna had said, “We met via a friend, six months back. We never expected it but we fell in love the day we met. In the first meeting, we knew we were soulmates. By the first week, we told our families.”

Director Krishna Bhatt, daughter of filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, exchanged rings with her partner, entrepreneur Vedant Sarna, in an intimate ceremony in Mumbai, on Sunday. Krishna shares, “We did a tilak ceremony. I just wanted his ring on my finger, so we exchanged rings as well.”

Krishna, 27, admits that she pressured Vedant, 28, to “go down on one knee”. She adds, “A smile stuck on my face. I’m so happy to spend the rest of my life with my soulmate. It’s like I’m living my dream.”

The couple is likely to get married next year. “We are planning a summer wedding. We are yet to get the dates. It will be chat mangni, pat byaah for us,” Krishna quips.

Vedant, who hails from Nagpur (Maharashtra), was in the US and came to India in April, this year. It was love at first sight for both of them. Calling their love story “absolutely filmi”, Krishna shares, “We met through a friend six months ago and fell in love the day we met. We knew since then that we are soulmates. After one week [of meeting each other], we told our families. It’s like he came to Mumbai for me.”

On Monday, Vikram posted a series of pictures from his daughter’s engagement ceremony with a heartfelt note. Talking about it, Krishna shares, “Dad started crying the day before my engagement. He would always have teary eyes. He was like, ‘My baby is getting married’.”

With his chiseled features and muscular physique, actor and former model Rahul Dev looks like a villainous guy, but is actually a gentle soul with a peaceful and calm mind. Enjoying a successful stint in films in Bollywood and down South, TV and OTT too, Rahul says he’s in a comfortable place in life both professional and personal. In Lucknow recently for a shoot, we caught up with the Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev and Mubarakan actor on his views on the current season of Bigg Boss, how his journey has been as an actor and model and more. mats, viz a viz films, TV and now OTT.

I am grateful to be a part of some of the best stories and collaborating with excellent directors such as the late Mukul Anand ji, Santosh Sivan, S S Rajamouli, Kalpana Lajmi, Nikkhil Advani, E Niwas, Anees Bazmi, Vikram Bhatt, Ahmed Khan, Prabhu Dheva, Trivikram Srinivas Rao, Lawrence, Siva, Indra Kumar, Rohit Dhawan, Ken Ghosh and many others in the movie space. The experience has been both enriching and creatively fruitful. In fact, now with OTT I am getting to do a plethora of varied roles with newer directors/writers which tend to challenge me and bring out a completely different side to me. So, gratitude is the only thing which comes to mind.

I’m thankful that with my master’s grace I wasn’t dragged into unnecessary bickering, etc. In fact, I have been one of the most respected people on the largely popular show. Because of my current commitments and time constraints I have been unable to follow the current season but there are two friends of mine who are part of the show.

Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt got married to art connoisseur Shwetambari Soni in a hush-hush ceremony in September 2020. His daughter from his first marriage, Krishna now admits that she had no idea about this and tells us that he broke the news to her “suddenly” earlier this year. “Maybe dad thought that I was still a little girl who could not accept this fact. So he told me suddenly. I don’t remember the exact date or time though. But it is what it is,” says Krishna, 26, who is also a filmmaker.

She further says it was not like he made a passing reference about his re-marriage, but sat down to have a proper conversation with her. “He explained to me that he has married again. For the first 13 years of my life, I was not very close to my dad. And after that, there was a period where my father did not have any relationships. We both built a father-daughter bond and it was very beautiful, and that is the most important thing to me. As long as my relationship with my father remains beautiful, as long as it stays healthy and strong, I do not want to dwell on anything else,” says Krishna.

Has she had a chance to interact with Soni yet? She replies, “We have not, because the wedding happened during the lockdown. I stay with my mother, it was not like we would have been able to talk. I haven’t been able to meet dad, so that has not happened.”

The father-daughter duo share a good professional relationship as well. She says they had worked together on a show called Sanak: Ek Junoon, which was written by him and directed by her. “There’s a film together in the pipeline too, but it’s still under wraps,” she ends.

Men of mystery get their hair ripened at youth while the greys within take a hold of their mind. Sometimes possessing them like ghosts of events and ghoulfriends of the past. These men are up to the brim with the raazs of a 1,000 skeletons and rebooted cobwebs. Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt is one such, who churns out stories from his experiences - some exhilarating, some haunting. Audacious and eyepopping, nonetheless. His demons are his alone, but his stories are secrets that delight. Awaiting his upcoming Raaz Reboot, he tells us how the deep secrets of his life have been his enemy of love. Let this mystery unfold...

Your films mostly delve in subjects that are discussed behind closed doors. It's risky, but you don't mind taking those chances.
I have always worn my heart on my sleeve and I have paid a price for that. There's a line in the film that says, 'You are what you hide and not what you show'. I know that a fairy tale is more saleable and people like to see such films, but I like exploring the darker side of life. They say that in music, there are two kinds of people - those who like major notes and those who like minor notes. So, I think I am a minor note guy.

Are your stories a culmination of your life experiences and all that you have been through?
For the last 10 years, I have had a great spiritual journey that has shaken me up, too. You can say it was miraculous, but I don't talk about it much because I don't want people to think that I am talking rubbish. So when I am making a movie, for me, it's as real as you and me having this conversation. Human beings, through time, have never believed what they cannot see. Do you know that Galileo was under house arrest and he had to retract his statement that the earth is not the centre of our solar system, because that went against religious traditions? So, the more we discover, the more we realise how wrong we were. I know that people think demons and dark forces don't exist, some even believe God doesn't exist. I have felt love universally and I know it's there because I have seen it. The fact that I make commercial films out of all my experiences is another matter.

But doesn't the dark side of life scare you?
Believe it or not, I am very scared of horror films. It took me a lot to see Conjuring and I haven't yet seen Conjuring 2. If I did not feel fear, perhaps I wouldn't be able to make you feel fear through my films. I think that if I don't have a good sense of humour, I possibly cannot make good comedy films. If I am not romantic at heart, I can't really make romantic films.

Speaking of romance, are you a romantic at heart?
I would like to think so, but I haven't been able to keep relationships. I am a man filled with contradictions. I am someone who needs a lot of space. There was a time when I thought that there was something wrong with people around me. Years later, I realised that it's not them, but me. There's something definitely off with me when it comes to romance. I figured that I like this whole wining and dining the girl, but only for a bit. Suddenly, I get so absorbed in my work that I don't want to do anything else and the woman in my life can't obviously deal with it. Over the years, I have come to understood that it's not the women, but me who is not stable in relationships.

But have you tried working on it?
Basically, I've come to terms with the fact that I will have to live a huge part of my life alone. I think I have become one of the characters of my films. Now, it's very difficult for me to get along with somebody, and it's not because I am impatient or I fight. It's just that I don't know how to prioritise. If a man has eight things to do and one of them is romance, and he prioritises it at number seven or eight, then there's something definitely wrong. So there, that's the problem with me.

But living alone is also not easy, right? There are times when you need someone...
Sometimes when I am having dinner with my parents, I think what would happen to me if they aren't around. It scares me. I have a daughter who really pampers me and knows how weird I am, but even she has a life of her own. So I know that I am going to be this lonely old man. But I hope that I am not a disgruntled lonely old man.

Don't you miss having a companion?
If I can't keep something going, then I shouldn't let it take off. I have realised that there are no bad people; I just feel that sometimes, two good people don't get along. Today, when I look back, I have nothing but a lot of respect for all the women who I have dated. Somewhere, there was a basic goodness in all of them, but I believe that secrets are the enemy of love. I married early in life, and we were a very young couple. I thought it was childish of my (then) wife to put restrictions on me, and even I was immature at handling it. Then I started hiding what I was feeling and that secret became the third person in our relationship. When you are not happy with the person you are married to and you can't tell her that, it becomes a secret. I had an extramarital affair, which was again a secret. It was not Sushmita's (Sen) fault, because I was the one with secrets. Even Ameesha (Patel) is a great girl, but when she was not happy, I told her, 'Listen, two people come together to be happy and if you are not, then you should find happiness elsewhere.''

Do you think secrets are born out of a sense of guilt?
The point is that you can be honest and hurt a person or be dishonest and hurt yourself everyday. If you love somebody, then you will have to understand whether guilty or not, secrets will crawl out sooner or later. Secrets have been the enemy of love through time, and I have learnt it the hard way. That is exactly what Raaz Reboot is about; it's the secrets that you keep from one another that create trouble. This film has a crazy plot where all three characters have secrets.

What gives you courage to be so open about your life? Don't you fear being judged?
How many battles can you fight? The first battle you fight is with yourself. I think everything starts going downhill when you create an image of yourself. I already have a problem living with my real self, so to create somebody else is too much to bear. I would rather be myself with all my faults than become someone perfect and suffer the consequences.

You have gone through a fair share of heartbreak in life. How do you cope with it and come out of it?
I am a huge introvert, I barely have friends and I don't go out and socialise. So I possibly can't isolate myself more than I already do. I think I have come to a stage where I feel that I am almost an emotional masochist.

You like working with new talent. Or do you think the wait for a bigger line-up is too much?
I have had my biggest hits without stars. My answer to this is simple and it's nothing to do with stars. It's my impatience. When I have an idea, I don't want to wait, or else I will lose my marbles. One person I have a lot of respect for is Sanjay Leela Bhansali, as I think that man has sustained enthusiasm. I can see the amount of work he puts into every frame; I clearly don't have that tenacity.

You are making short films and your first one is an erotic one, along the lines of 50 Shades Of Grey. Do you think the youth will get shocked by the audacity of your subject?
I think that youngsters are ready for such concepts. Today, premarital sex is not even a discussion amongst the youth anymore; it was a huge deal years ago. So you can imagine how progressive they are. They are also non-judgemental, and today, conversations about virginity are not a big deal.

If you are given a chance to reboot your life, what would you change about it?
I think that the worst thing to do is hurt someone. So if I had to press the reboot button, I would go back and undo all the hurt I have caused to the people I love. I am the kind of person who goes crazy apologising if I know that I have hurt somebody. Professionally, I have made some good films and some obnoxious films, too, but they were enjoyable. Whenever I have made films for money, they have always gone wrong. So, if I was to correct something, I would change the films that I did for money.