Shaheer Sheikh and Sonarika Bhadoria were all set to
shoot for an episode of Daastan-E-Mohabbat: Salim Anarkali at a Mira Road
studio on October 20 when members of Federation Of Western India Cine Employees
(FWICE) brought the shoot to a halt. Reason? The workers on the show weren’t
paid for the last 2 months.
Says a source, “Shaheer and Sonarika were supposed to
shoot an intense sequence when FWICE members dropped on the set and asked the
production to halt the shoot. The members discussed with the production team
about their concerns which led to the shoot being postponed by 4 hours.
Finally, it was decided the payments will be cleared within this month.”
We contacted Raja, FWICE’s union member, who said, “We
didn't stop the shoot. We went there to have a discussion as we received
multiple complaints from various associations on payment dues. Other big shows
such as Prithvi Vallabh and Chandrshekhar Azad have faltered on the front. We
requested them to make payments and they have promised to have a discussion and
release the money soon.”
We also got in touch with Daastan-E-Mohabbat’s producer
Anirudh Pathak for his side of the story. He said, “The Union members spoke
about the labourers working under Sandesh (art director) not having received
the payment. But we have already paid Sandesh who probably hasn’t distributed
the allowance. However, the Union wants us to pay the workers. We are trying to
connect with this art director and solve the issue but he is absconding.
Previous operation head too left the company suddenly. We are figuring where
that money has gone.” The show is being produced under the banner of Writers
Galaxy Studio. Before Salim Anarkali they also produced Ashish Sharma and
Sonarika Bhadoria starrer Prithvi Vallab for Sony TV.