The row over pending payments to Crazy Loka has been resolved. Though the people involved preferred to call it an ‘amicable settlement’, it left a lot of bitterness in the process.
The resolution came at an emergency meeting called by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), late Monday evening. K V Chandrashekar, president of the (KFCC) says that the issue was settled in his presence, “When it’s a business, issues relating to payments may crop up.
The representatives of the producers of Crazy Loka and those from the artistes’ side were present. The bounced cheques were taken back and cash was given in place of that. The settlement happened at the KFCC premises.”
The film, Crazy Loka is produced by ‘Confident Group’ and its executive
producer is M Ravi Kumar of Shantha Enterprises (Shantha Pictures).
Earlier, before the payment issues were settled, director Kavitha Lankesh alleged that the cheques issued by the production company 'Confident Group' amounting to Rs 15 lakh for payment to various people including directors, technicians, cameraman, a few actors and the lyricist had bounced.
In a statement issued on Tuesday morning, Dr Roy C J, chairman and managing director, Confident Group sought to clarify that “Confident Group has nothing to do with the abovementioned payments. And no cheque whatsoever of Confident Group had been either issued or bounced. Not a single cheque ever issued in the history of Confident Group has been bounced or returned, leave alone this Rs 15 lakh.”
He furthers says, “Like all big production houses in North India, we contract it (film) out to third party company. The production of Crazy Loka was exclusively given to a company called Shantha Enterprises (Shantha Pictures) run by a third party outside company and owned by Ravi Kumar who has produced over 30 films over a period of 20 years. We have nothing to do with Shantha Pictures other then they being the sub-contractor to produce the film Crazy Loka.”
Challenging Kavitha Lankesh’s allegations that ‘Confident Group’ has not made the payment on time, Roy C J states, “We have made payments on time to Shantha Enterprises (Shantha Pictures) and we have documents to this effect. Our cheques and payments have been cleared to Shantha Enterprises (Shantha Pictures) without fail.”
Meanwhile, jubilant after receiving her payment, Kavitha says that all payments were settled late Monday evening. “About 15 people, including designers were called in to the KFCC and the payments were settled.
The old cheques, which bounced, have Ravi Kumar of Shantha Enterprises’ (Shantha Pictures) signature on them but the fresh ones have been issued by the ‘Confident Group’,” she says and adds, “even those who had to get small amounts such as Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 were called in and their payment was handed over. Had the producers done this earlier, the issue wouldn’t have taken such a nasty turn.”
However, producer and proprietor of Shantha Enterprises (Shantha Pictures) says that he withheld the payments so that the actors will come forward to promote the event, “I had Rs 10 lakh with me but I didn’t want to release the amount until the artistes came to promote the film,” says Ravi Kumar.