Hamari Bahu Silk producer comments on non-payment of dues, blames ‘limited resources, chaotic situations’

One of the producers of Hamari Bahu Silk, whose cast and crew have alleged that they haven’t been paid for their work because of the lockdown, leading several of them to claim they’re having suicidal thoughts, has released a statement on the matter. The producer has said that the responsibility to deliver the show lay with several people and that it was a chaotic production to begin with.

The producer, Jyoti Gupta, said in a statement via The Times of India, “It is a shame that we are to see this day where conveniently all the blame has shifted onto me when all I have done is everything in the best of my capacity to assist, run and continue with the shoot with the limited resources and in such chaotic situations.”

Gupta said that while he was hired to line produce the show, the overall control lay with others. “So, Klay had not handed over the show completely to me as reported in media; they were very much the producer of the show all along, my role was limited to managing the execution work that is all,” Gupta said.

Blaming the company Klay for the troubles, Gupta wrote that the show was called off in October 2019, and the reason given was that the channel Zee was ‘not happy with Klay’s handling of the Show creatively and all other fronts’. “After that they stopped releasing the payment to Klay from October end thus, stopping any payment due to me too,” Gupta continued. “The reason seems to be the breach committed by Klay by not informing ZEE officially about our understanding as per the contract of ZEE with Klay. The show went off air in November first week and Klay also disappeared.”

But the matter escalated in recent weeks when certain cast and crew members came forward and said that they hadn’t been paid for their work. “It’s sad and shocking to know that team #HumariBahuSilk has not been paid till date!! Also, the actors and technicians are threatening to commit suicide!! Why does this happen all the time!! Why can’t Broadcasts do something!” actor Zaan Khan had written on social media.

Actor Kriti Sanon urged Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) to intervene and help daily wage workers get their dues on TV shows. She shared a video of a technician who worked in Humari Bahu Silk and claimed to have not fighting the producer for seven months. Kriti had written on social media, “This is terrible!! This is just one incident that i know of because a friend of mine has worked in this daily soap: Humari Bahu Silk.. But my heart breaks to see so many people suffering because they haven’t received their payments! This is the time when the daily wage earners need their hard-earned money the most!!”

Also read: Zaan Khan of Humari Bahu Silk says show’s crew threatens to commit suicide due to non-payment of dues by producers

Gupta said in his statement that he was forced to take legal action against Klay and Zee. The matter was seemingly resolved by February, but Gupta said that “post this meeting ZEE stopped all communication with us”.

Gupta concluded by saying that he, too, is a victim in the situation, and that the hope is for better sense to prevail.

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