Actor Satendra Soni, who played a key role in Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, has accused filmmaker Pushpendra Singh of assault and issuing threats. The actor claimed the incident took place in Madhya Pradesh over unpaid remuneration during the shooting of a film. Soni shared a video on Instagram, alleging that he was asked to leave the set of the film titled Ped Palki after demanding his pending dues. He further claimed that the situation escalated into physical violence.
In the video, he said, “My name is Satindra Soni. I am an actor. I had come here to shoot a film, whose director is Pushpendra Singh. He had given me Rs 50,000 signing amount, and he told me that after this that we will pay you after the shoot. We have completed eight days of shoot today and when I spoke to him about the money, he asked me to pack up and told me, ‘Dekhne nahi chahiye tum hotel mein (I better not see you in the hotel).’ Humein marne ki dhamki de rahe hain (He is threatening to kill me).”
Soni also accused Singh and his wife, Pragati Chauhan, of physically attacking him in public. He alleged that the couple chased him and two others in a car before confronting them on the road. Along with the video, he wrote in Hindi, “The three of us were walking when they chased us in a car. His wife, Pragati Chauhan, and director Pushpendra Singh, upon seeing me, started beating me in the middle of the road. When Shridhar Bhaiya came forward to save me, the director started beating him too.”
In a separate post, Soni informed his followers that he and the two others had safely returned to Mumbai. He also thanked the Madhya Pradesh Police for assisting them and ensuring they reached the city safely. The actor broke down in tears while narrating the alleged incident in his video.
Apart from Laapataa Ladies, Soni has appeared in films and shows such as Doctor G, Raat Akeli Hai, The Bansal Murders and Hello Bachhon. He will next be seen in Mirzapur: The Movie.
Meanwhile, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has now addressed the matter and said that the Government of Madhya Pradesh should take immediate cognizance of the issue and ensure a fair and impartial investigation. The body also urged the Chief Minister of the state to direct the police to register an FIR against the producer and director based on the allegations made by Soni.
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