The Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Motichoor Chaknachoor is courting some controversy, though the actor has nothing to do with it.
Producers Rajesh and Kiran Bhatia of Woodpecker Movies have sent veteran actor Suniel Shetty a legal notice for allegedly interfering in the film, according to a report on the website mumbaimirror.com. Shetty’s daughter Athiya is playing the female lead opposite Siddiqui.
The notice is said to have been issued by the producers through their lawyers Ramesh and Kusum Jain.
According to the report, the notice says producers Rajesh and Kiran Bhatia are the final authority on every aspect and project of their firm Woodpecker Movies Pvt Ltd.
“Mr Suniel Shetty has no right and/or title and/or interest in the said film and has no capacity or authority to either directly or indirectly discuss or take any decision, negotiate, strategize or overlook the edit, or in any manner interfere, or be involved with the film Motichoor Chaknachoor or with its cast, crew, technical teams, or to coordinate with the studio involved with the film or its creative and marketing teams or post-production or any person connected with them or with the trade,” the notice reads.
Speaking to the Mumbai Mirror tabloid, Suniel Shetty laughed off the matter saying he would speak at the right time.
Efforts to reach Kiran and Rajesh Bhatia were unsuccessful. But Cinestaan.com did speak to a source associated with the film who expressed surprise over the report.
“I am shocked to read such news,” the source said. “As far as I know, Sunil sir never came a single day on the sets nor did he ever sit for the edit. Some time back, all of us were present and shown the first edit. That’s normal. Suniel sir was also there, but I don’t recollect him pointing out any problem with the edit. He liked the film and never commented about his daughter. The only thing I recall is that after watching the first edit, he liked it so much that he called Nawazuddin to praise him.”
The source said Shetty was pivotal in the film coming through. “This film would not have been possible without Suniel sir,” the source said. The story was first pitched by the writers, director Deba Mitra Hasan and Meghvrat Singh Gurjar, to him. It was Suniel sir who then brought in Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He also brought in Rajesh and Kiran Bhatia as producers and then Viacom18 Motion Pictures. I think this is their [Woodpecker’s] first film. Athiya was only roped in later when the director felt she suited the character.
“I don’t know what has transpired between Rajeshji and Suniel sir, but I find it hard to believe what is being reported. There must be some other reason.”