Producer accuses director of over charging, causing losses of Rs 4.75 cr

Veeraj Verma, producer of Zindagi 50-50, has filed a case against director Rajeev Ruia, stating that the latter hiked the charges of technicians and artists

The producer of the 2013 film Zindagi 50-50, Veeraj Kumar Verma, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against his director Rajeev Ruia at the Metropolitan Magistrate Court at Andheri. Verma alleged that Ruia caused him losses of Rs 4.75 crore and misappropriated the same. According to the complaint, it was in 2012 that Verma was in the process of producing the film.

Ruia approached Verma, saying he had directed many feature films in the past that became blockbusters and had earned the producers a good profit.

A poster of the movie

Subsequently, Verma agreed to make Ruia the director of the film. Ruia promised Verma that he would direct the film without any remuneration — but he wanted five per cent of the revenue from the film.

The complaint also alleged that during the course of making the movie, Ruia not only made Verma pay an exorbitant amount to technicians and artists, but also received illegal gratification from them.

Publicist also accused
Verma has also accused the film’s publicist, who was introduced to him by Ruia. Ruia had told Verma that the publicist would handle all the publicity, promotion, release, revenue and distribution of the film in a transparent manner.

The film released in 2013. Verma also alleged that both Ruia and the publicist received all the revenue from the film, and except for some payment, have till date failed to furnish the accounts of the film.

Also, despite repeated requests and reminders from Verma, the publicist did not pay any amount to him, and the entire amount received was being misappropriated by both the accused for their own use and benefit.

Verma alleged that both the accused have committed various offences like criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery, mischief and criminal intimidation etc.

Speaking to mid-day, Advocate Neeraj Gupta, representing Verma said, “We have filed the case at the Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Tuesday. The court has given us January 29 as the next date for the hearing.”

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