A few days back reports suggesting the shutting down of Vashu Bhagnani and Jackky Bhagnani-owned Pooja Entertainment were doing the rounds on the internet. Reports said that they had sold off the office premises due to non-payment of dues and to clear off debts worth Rs 250 crores. It was also reported that more than 80% of the staff was laid off. Amid all this, Akshay Kumar was the first one to call Vashu Bhagnani to give him assurance.
Vashu Bhagnani On Akshay Kumar's Phone Call:
Talking about the same, Vashu Bhagnani shared, "Akshay was the first person to call me and say not worry, and let him know if there was anything to do. He lent his unconditional support. I also got calls from Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, and also my old friend David Dhawan. I am really moved by everyone, they are people who stick by you."
Calling the industry his first love. Bhagnani said, "I love the film industry, it is my jaan. There are still very emotional people in this industry who stick by you through thick and thin."
Vashu Bhagnani Speaks About The Rumours:
Putting all these rumours to rest, producer Vashu Bhagnani stated that the building is undergoing redevelopment. It had been planned for a year and a half. And that all other reports about Pooja Entertainment are not true.
He said in a statement, "The building (office space) that people are talking about hasn’t been sold to anyone, it belongs to me even now. We are only redeveloping it into a tower that will house luxury homes. This was planned 1.5 years ago. I was waiting for ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ to release after which we wanted to start the redevelopment."
Dismissing reports of laying off his staff, Vashu Bhagnani shared that they now function from the old office which was a 'lucky' space for them. "We’ve had the same team working with us for 10 years, we haven’t asked anyone to leave," he added.
He also talked about the crew members who allege non-payment of dues and said, "I have been in the business for the past 30 years. If there are people who claim that we owe them money, they should come forward and talk to us. Do they have proper contracts with Pooja Entertainment? Have they filed a case regarding this? There are so many ways to sort this rather than ranting on social media. If there is an issue, we will resolve it. Nobody is running away. Please come to my office, talk to us, give us your documents and give us 60 days to figure things out. I am not going to buckle under any pressure or blackmail. We also work with production companies in the UK. If they owe someone money, then people must reach out to them directly."
About Pooja Entertainment:
Pooja Entertainment is one of the oldest production companies, they have backed films like Coolie No.1 m, Hero No. 1 BellBottom, Biwi No. 1 , Faaltu, Jawani Jaaneman, Rehan Hai Dil Mein, etc. They own some of the biggest IPs, and are into other businesses as well, including real estate.