Sunil Pal further opens up on non-payment of dues by Anees Bazmee

Seems like there is bad blood between stand-up comedian Sunil Pal and ‘Mubarakan’ director. Few days back, Pal had uploaded a Facebook video, wherein he had accused the director of not paying his dues, even though he is successful and is raking in money. He alleged that Bazmee and his partner had invited him to perform at a family function, but later on denied him his remuneration, a mere amount of Rs 51000. Even a police complaint by Sunil was of no use. (Also Read: Why Anees Bazmee would never include kissing scenes in his films)

You can look at the video here.

Obviously, Anees did not hold back and immediately hit by saying that Sunil was drunk and that was the reason he was unable to perform and why he should not get the money. But Sunil has a different story to tell.

According to Sunil, this is all a ploy to defame him, and he is deeply hurt, for such accusations by big people of Bazmee’s stature are nothing but harmful for his own career. Further, the accusation of being drunk has not gone down well with him at all.

“He says I didn’t get paid because I was too drunk to perform at the event where I had gone on Aneesji’s request. This is defamatory. And it will be very difficult for him to prove that I was drunk. Because I’ve never touched a drop of alcohol in my entire life. My only nasha in life is my work. I don’t need alcohol,” says Sunil.

Sunil further went on to say that he did not want to go public about what happened. But he was forced, after the attitude of Bazmee and company. He says, “But Aneesji and his friends compelled me to do this. Their intentions were not right. When I agreed to perform at a private function on Aneesji’s request, it was in the hope of getting work in his film. But I got nothing. No money, no work. And after this incident, do you think Aneesji will ever think of giving me work? I’ll now be branded a trouble maker.”

He further said, “I was scheduled to perform in Pune at a public event. I gave up that because a filmmaker of Anees Bazmi’s stature asked me to do show. How was I to know I wouldn’t be paid and I’d be maligned for asking for my rightful money? I charged them just a token Rs. 51000. What is this small amount to a filmmaker of Aneesji’s stature? Not only did he distance himself from my payment (after having gotten me on board) he even told me ‘Jo karna hai kar lo’ when I insisted on being paid. I may be a very small artiste. But I am an artiste, nonetheless. I won’t be taken for granted.”

Well, let’s see how the events turn out to be, in this particular case.

Kadambari Srivastava

Grammar Nazi, word weaver, dreamer, bibliophile, technophile, caffeine addict, foodie, shuttling shopaholic! Mash it in a Bollywood recipe and voila! Pushpa, you’ve got her!