'Maidaan': Boney Kapoor accused of not clearing dues worth Rs.1cr
Boney Kapoor, the producer of Maidaan, is now embroiled in a legal tussle. The lawsuit was initiated by Ninad Nayampally of Meherafrin Investments Private, who accused Kapoor of unpaid dues amounting to nearly Rs. 1cr. The camera vendor claimed Kapoor did not settle bills for equipment supplied during the production of Maidaan. The aggrieved party has also requested an injunction to stall the release of the Ajay Devgn-led film slated for an April 10 premiere.
Here's what exactly happened
Nayampally disclosed that his firm supplied camera-related paraphernalia for the Maidaan shoot. He mentioned that while the initial invoices were settled, payments stopped from December 2020 onwards. Despite Kapoor's assurances of settling the dues, no payment was made, leading to a legal notice being served to Kapoor's production house, Bayview Projects LLP. After their legal notice went unanswered, Nayampally and his team decided to file a suit.
WhatsApp conversations exposed ignored payment requests
WhatsApp chat screenshots between Kapoor and the vendor from July 2023 reportedly revealed repeated inquiries about pending payments that seemingly went unanswered. The vendor made another attempt later in August, with Kapoor suggesting a meeting after August 14 or 15. However, subsequent messages from the vendor on August 21 and 22 received no response, implying that the proposed meeting never happened.
'Nothing but an arm-twisting tactic': Kapoor responded to allegations
Reacting to the allegations brought in the lawsuit, Kapoor told Mid-Day that he owes Rs. 63 lakh, not Rs. 1cr, to Meherafrin Investments Private Limited. He said, "Everybody knows that the picture was stuck because of COVID-19. I have made 45 films and nobody has been deprived in my company." "This is nothing but an arm-twisting tactic." Kapoor is committed to settling all outstanding bills and addressing all claims in court.
Everything to know about the upcoming film
Maidaan was initially announced in 2019 but faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Cyclone Tauktae. Originally slated for a June 3, 2022 release, the film was postponed for post-production work. Further delays pushed its release to 2023. Now, the film is set for release, featuring an ensemble cast including Devgn, Priya Mani, and Gajraj Rao, telling the story of Syed Abdul Rahim—the revolutionary football coach of the late 1950s who transformed the sport in India.
