Actor Satyendra Soni, known for Laapataa Ladies, broke down on social media alleging that he was denied payment after an eight-day shooting in Madhya Pradesh and was threatened when he demanded his dues. AICWA has now intervened and urged the Madhya Pradesh CM to register an FIR against the director.
Satyendra Soni, known for his memorable appearance in Aamir Khan’s blockbuster film ‘Laapataa Ladies’, found himself in a very disturbing situation and felt compelled to share it with the world on social media.
In an emotional and tearful video, he opened up about being denied his due payment after shooting a film in Madhya Pradesh.
To make matters worse, when he simply asked for the money he had earned, he was met with threats of beatings. The heartbreaking video quickly gained attention and impressed many people, including the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), which has now officially acknowledged the actor’s plight and taken up the issue on its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
What did AICWA say about allegations of non-payment by Satendra Soni?
AICWA opened its note by detailing the incident and expressing its deep concern about the matter. They wrote: “Actor Satyendra Soni, who appeared in Laapataa Ladies, has publicly claimed that he was called to Maihar, Madhya Pradesh, to shoot a film. According to him, despite working for 8 days, he was not paid his agreed wages. He stated that he only received an advance of Rs 50 lakh. He also claimed that he was threatened by the film’s producer and director.”
The emotional video shared by Satyendra Soni reflects the pain and distress he says he went through. His allegations raise serious concerns about the treatment of artists and workers in the Indian film industry. No artist or worker should have to endure such treatment.
The memo also said: “Many workers and artists claim that they are called to shoot films with promises of work, but later face delays or refusal to pay and are allegedly intimidated when they demand their rightful entitlements.
Such complaints deserve serious attention. By publicly sharing his emotional video, Satyendra Soni has brought these concerns into the public domain and highlighted the difficulties that artists and workers may face.
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What action has AICWA sought in the Satyendra Soni case?
AICWA called for swift and decisive action, making it very clear that this should not be taken lightly. “This is not a simple matter. The Madhya Pradesh government should take cognizance of this issue immediately and ensure a fair and impartial investigation,” they stated.
Every worker and artist deserves dignity, timely pay, and protection from intimidation. All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) urges Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Mohan Yadav to direct the police to register an FIR against the producer and director based on the allegations made by actor Satyendra Soni and ensure safety and security of film workers and artistes in Madhya Pradesh.
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What did Satyendra Soni reveal in his Instagram post about the incident?
Satyendra himself took to Instagram to explain the entire situation in detail through a heartfelt comment written in Hindi. He shared, “Hi, my name is Satyendra Soni. I am an actor. I went to Maihar, Madhya Pradesh, to shoot a film called Ped Palki. The director and producer of it is Pushpendra Singh, who also made Ajmer 92. They just sent me INR 50,000 in advance to come for the shoot, and have committed to paying the rest during the shoot.”He added, “I spent a total of 10 days shooting. After 7 to 8 days, they did not pay me anything. There, I also heard people in the unit saying that no one was paid. When I asked about payment, I was asked to pack my bags. Pushpendra started threatening me and said, ‘You can leave the hotel in 10 minutes, and you must not be seen in the hotel, otherwise we will kill you.'” His wife, Pragati Chauhan, who was the heroine of the film, also scolded me and hurled at me. Vile abuse.
I was very afraid, and when I started to leave the hotel I felt afraid. Shridhar Dubey and Pankaj Sharma also came with me.
What other projects has Satendra Soni been a part of?
Satendra Soni has been a part of many popular films and shows including ‘Doctor G’, ‘Bawaal’, ‘Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders’ and TV show ‘Hello Bachhon’, where he played small but memorable roles which were appreciated by audiences.
