Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, who is currently in judicial custody along with his wife Shwetambari Bhatt in a Rs 30 crore fraud and criminal breach of trust case, is facing fresh charges related to non-payment of dues from his 2023 film 1920: Horrors of the Heart.
Vikram Bhatt accused of non-payment by casting director and crew of 1920: Horrors of the Heart
The film’s casting director Parag Chadha has publicly accused Bhatt of not paying his professional fees. Following Chadha’s statement, several actors and crew members associated with the film have also come forward with similar claims of the due amount.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Parag said that 100 percent of his fees have not been paid despite repeated follow-ups over the years. “100% of my fees are pending,” he said, adding that he had previously avoided speaking due to concerns about his livelihood and future work prospects.
Parag said the makers had accepted the pending payment but failed to settle it. “I have email confirmation acknowledging my dues. Despite this, no payment has been made,” he said. He said that he now has no hope of getting the money back. “I have written off this money as bad debt. Speaking up is not about recovering it, it is about awareness.”
After Parag’s allegations became public, other members of the cast and crew of 1920: Horrors of the Heart also alleged that they had not received their dues. Some claimed that despite the film’s reported box office earnings of Rs 17–18 crore, vendors and newcomers associated with the project were equally affected.
At the time of writing neither Vikram Bhatt nor his representatives have issued any public response to the allegations.
The development has added to the legal troubles facing the filmmaker, who is in custody pending investigation in a fraud case.
