- By Ridhi Suri
- Sat, 28 Sep 2024 01:21 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Actress Palak Sindhwani, known for her role as Sonu Bhide in the show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, recently announced her departure from the show, citing harassment and mental distress, which has led to a legal dispute with Neela Film Productions. She has made serious allegations against the makers, claiming that they exploited her and failed to discuss any exclusivity contract. After expressing her desire to leave the series in August, she experienced unfair treatment on set.
Tensions rose when rumours emerged that the producers intended to send her a legal notice for supposedly taking on other projects without permission. Palak vehemently denied these claims, insisting that she faced harassment and poor treatment during her time on set. Additionally, she revealed that the production team has not paid her outstanding dues of Rs 21 lakh and pressured her to work extended hours despite her health issues. Speaking to ETimes, Palak said, "They never discussed any exclusivity contract with me, but as soon as I expressed my desire to leave the show in August, the exploitation began."
"They likely thought I wouldn’t wait until May to leave, so they started treating me unfairly. The exploitation reached its peak when they accused me of breaching the contract. I was affected by the media reports, but I didn’t stay silent. I kept asking when I could officially resign. It was emotionally draining, I was hurt inside and mentally affected. I would cry in my makeup room and then pull myself together for the shots," she added.
Palak Sindhwani shared that she requested a meeting to address her concerns, which occurred on September 18. During this discussion, the producers accused her of breaching her contract for the first time, despite her only becoming aware of such allegations after announcing her departure from the show. Palak expressed that she felt threatened during the meeting when the producers claimed they could easily shut down her Instagram account and hinder her ability to collaborate with brands.
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"I was still shooting for them, even while dealing with health issues and I had submitted my medical reports. I asked them to consider my condition and grant me some leave, but instead, they kept making me shoot for 12 hours straight, to the point that I couldn’t even meet anyone or respond to their legal notice because I was stuck on set. Only I know how I managed the last 6-7 days. I’ve been mentally harassed by them and these have been the most traumatic days of my life. They call me to shoots and make me sit for 12 hours, even though my actual work only takes 30 minutes," she added.
Palak Sindhwani's team recently released a statement indicating that Neela Film Productions owes her more than ₹21 lakh. They highlighted that, despite this outstanding payment, the production team still expects her to continue working.