Veteran producer Shailendra Singh, known for backing several National Award-winning films, has made shocking claims about a long-running dispute involving Amitabh Bachchan and director Shoojit Sircar. In a recent interview, Singh spoke about how a film he says he conceived and developed never saw the light of day, despite major names being attached to it and money already changing hands.
Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Shailendra said he even paid Bachchan a hefty advance for the film. He claimed that "Rs 4 crore was paid to the actor after the contract was signed". Director Shoojit Sircar, whose debut film Yahaan was produced by Singh, was also brought on board for the project. He recalled personally introducing Sircar to Bachchan at the actor’s residence, Jalsa, to finalise discussions.
However, Shailendra said the situation took an unexpected turn soon after. He alleged that he was informed that Bachchan wanted the film to be produced under his own banner, AB Corp. The producer said this proposal caught him off guard, as he had already committed to producing the film himself. He maintained that while he was keen to have Big B as the lead actor, he was not willing to hand over the production rights.
According to Shailendra Singh, his refusal did not go down well and resulted in him losing control of the project altogether. He claimed that he not only lost the film but also his professional association with Shoojit Sircar.
He further alleged that the same project was later developed under a new title, Johnny Mastana, and backed by UTV founder Ronnie Screwvala. The film, directed by Sircar and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Dia Mirza, was completed but has never been released.
Shailendra said he decided to take legal action after learning that UTV had taken over a project he believed was rightfully his. He claimed multiple cases were filed, including by an international studio, and that the matter is still ongoing. Recalling a chance meeting with Kalki actor on a flight years later, the producer said he questioned the actor about the situation. According to him, Amitabh Bachchan chose not to respond and only smiled, which he described as a dignified reaction.
Despite a court order in UTV’s favour in 2012, Shoebite remains unreleased. Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan and Shoojit Sircar went on to collaborate successfully on films such as Piku and Gulabo Sitabo.
Amitabh Bachchan's upcoming projects
Meanwhile, on the work front, Amitabh Bachchan was recently seen hosting the lastest season of Kaun Banega Crorepati. Up next, he also has Kalki 2898 AD sequel and courtroom drama Section 84 in his pipeline. Stay tuned!
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"Paid Rs 4 crore to Amitabh Bachchan", says producer
Shailendra , who has produced films such as Page 3 and Traffic Signal, said the project in question was originally titled Johnny Walker. According to him, the story was developed in-house and later pitched to Amitabh Bachchan, who agreed to play the lead role. He claimed that everything moved quickly after that, with paperwork completed and commitments made.Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Shailendra said he even paid Bachchan a hefty advance for the film. He claimed that "Rs 4 crore was paid to the actor after the contract was signed". Director Shoojit Sircar, whose debut film Yahaan was produced by Singh, was also brought on board for the project. He recalled personally introducing Sircar to Bachchan at the actor’s residence, Jalsa, to finalise discussions.
However, Shailendra said the situation took an unexpected turn soon after. He alleged that he was informed that Bachchan wanted the film to be produced under his own banner, AB Corp. The producer said this proposal caught him off guard, as he had already committed to producing the film himself. He maintained that while he was keen to have Big B as the lead actor, he was not willing to hand over the production rights.
According to Shailendra Singh, his refusal did not go down well and resulted in him losing control of the project altogether. He claimed that he not only lost the film but also his professional association with Shoojit Sircar.
He further alleged that the same project was later developed under a new title, Johnny Mastana, and backed by UTV founder Ronnie Screwvala. The film, directed by Sircar and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Dia Mirza, was completed but has never been released.
Shailendra said he decided to take legal action after learning that UTV had taken over a project he believed was rightfully his. He claimed multiple cases were filed, including by an international studio, and that the matter is still ongoing. Recalling a chance meeting with Kalki actor on a flight years later, the producer said he questioned the actor about the situation. According to him, Amitabh Bachchan chose not to respond and only smiled, which he described as a dignified reaction.
Despite a court order in UTV’s favour in 2012, Shoebite remains unreleased. Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan and Shoojit Sircar went on to collaborate successfully on films such as Piku and Gulabo Sitabo.
