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Gautam Kundu, the chairman of the TV channel Rupashi Bangla, has filed a breach-of-contract case against Tollywood producers Shrikant Mohta, Mahendra Soni, Vishnu Mohta and Jivandas Mohta of Shree Venkatesh Films.
According to an agreement signed in 2010 between Rupashi Bangla and Shree Venkatesh Films, the largest film production house in town was supposed to sell the satellite rights of 70 films to the channel, which was to screen the films over three years.
Kundu alleged in the complaint that despite the entire amount having been paid, Shree Venkatesh Films had given the channel only 30 films, holding back the rest.
“We have paid Rs 25 crore to Shree Venkatesh Films for 70 films,” said a spokesperson for Rose Valley Communication, the mother concern of Rupashi Bangla. “We have already screened 24 and have another six films produced by them with us. But Shree Venkatesh Films has not yet delivered the remaining 40 films. They are basically making films with our money.”
Two employees of Rupashi Bangla, Satyajit Saha and Kranti Kumar, are in judicial custody since Thursday for “suppressing facts”.
“Both Saha and Kumar knew that Rose Valley had paid the sum by three cheques to Shree Venkatesh. They were asked to procure the rest of the films, but did nothing and suppressed facts. That’s why we filed a case against them,” the spokesperson added.
A source from Shree Venkatesh Films said: “Rupashi Bangla claims that they have, so far, got only 30 films from us, but according to TAM reports, the channel has already screened 35 of our films.”
When asked how many films had been handed over to Rupashi Bangla, he declined comment.
Partha Kar, the secretary of the Welfare Association of Television Producers of West Bengal, said: “Rupashi Bangla is notorious for being unprofessional and not paying producers their dues. They have wrongfully filed a case against Mahendra Soni and his production house because, as president of the association, he has been a part of many protests against the channel.”
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