Rajkumar Santoshi lodges complaint against Sunny:

By Bollywood Hungama -

October 20, 2001 - 12:00 AM IST

Expect the most unexpected things to happen in Bollywood. The latest development that is bound to send shock waves within and outside the film industry is of Rajkumar Santoshi filing a complaint against his mentor Sunny Deol. Shocking, isnt it? According to the complaint lodged with A.M.P.T.P.P., a producers association, Santoshi Productions had signed Sunny Deol for LAJJA at a price of Rs. 1 crore and had paid him an amount of Rs. 50 lacs as signing amount. Subsequently, Sunny demanded Rs. 2 crore as his remuneration, which was not in their budget and hence, they requested Sunny to refund the signing amount of Rs. 50 lacs as they were in urgent need of funds. Despite several promises, when the amount was not refunded, the producer filed a complaint with the association for refund. When this writer met Santoshi at the special trial show of R.H.T.D.M. on Thursday night at Film City and asked him the reason for the complaint, the GHAYAL director was more forthcoming. It was getting embarrassing to ask for the payment time and again. I havent made any profit in LAJJA; it has gone over-budget and I require the funds to repay the money I had borrowed from Bharatbhai, he states. Not wanting to print just one side of the story, this writer called up Sunny Deol to get his version as well. The actor was taken by surprise when we asked his reactions to the complaint. To quote Sunny verbatim: The matter is between Raj and me and I dont want to make it public by hurling accusations at him. Its below my dignity. I havent done it in the past and I dont see the reason why I should do it now. All I want to say is that it doesnt suit Raj to wrongly accuse me of something. On my part, I can also accuse him of several things. Aajkal log wele baithe hain; unke paas shayad koi kaam nahin. At the slightest opportunity they can accuse you of just about anything.