It's been a long-drawn-out battle around last year's much appreciated film, Neerja, between the family of Neerja Bhanot and the producers Blingg Unplugged, run by Atul Kasbekar. The film is based on the life of Neerja Bhanot, a senior flight purser of Pan-Am 73 flight, who died in a shootout following the hijack by Palestinian terrorists who had entered the aircraft armed and posing as Pakistan Police personnel.
Neerja's family accused the producers of "criminal conspiracy" for going back on their word of sharing 10 per cent of the net profit, and moved court last week. "The entire episode has trappings of a criminal conspiracy between respondent (Bling Unplugged) and Fox Star Studios India Pvt Ltd, who right from the inception of the agreement (between the family and the producers), in a planned manner had dishonestly induced the petitioners and family members of late Rama Bhanot with the intention of wrongful gains to themselves," the petition moved by the family before the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stated.
In a statement released earlier in the day, Fox Star Studios said that it is extremely proud of its film Neerja and holds the Bhanot family in great esteem. “However, the facts are that the Studios does not have any contractual obligations towards the Bhanot family as the life rights and permissions were obtained by Blingg Unplugged from the late Neerja Bhanot's family long before Fox Star Studios came on board to produce the film,” said the statement.
According to the Studios, it has been duly honouring its contractual obligations towards Blingg Unplugged. “It's unfortunate that Blingg and Bhanot family have not been able to resolve their disagreements. The life story of Neerja Bhanot inspired the nation and the movie created history, created memories that we deeply cherish, memories that will last forever. We hope for quick resolution to the ongoing issue,” it said.
The family has contended that the producers had, in the agreement made on September 2, 2013, agreed to pay the family a fixed compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh and 10 per cent share of the net profit of the film.
The movie, as per the collection figures, has generated a revenue of Rs 135 crores. "However, when it came to paying 10 per cent of the profits, the producer contended that Fox Star Studios were to keep 80 per cent of the profits while Bling was to get the rest. We were offered a pittance which we refused to accept. We were to put the money in a Trust in the name of Neerja and help other people," Aneesh Bhannot, who along with his brother Akhil Bhanot and mother Rama Bhanot (now deceased) signed the agreement, told news agency IANS.
As per the petition, Bling offered just over Rs 24.57 lakh to the Bhanot family in July 2016 as their 10 per cent share which the family refused to accept.
Kasbekar, in a statement released in May, had said that the profits from Neerja were repeatedly offered to the Bhanot family as per the existing contract. But they turned it down. "Bling Unplugged had acquired the rights to make Neerja from the Bhanot family. The agreement between Bhanots and Bling clearly spelt out that Bhanots would be paid a fixed upfront amount (which was paid as per the timelines) and a variable amount which was to be computed as a share of net profits that Bling would receive. It was always abundantly clear that we would partner with a studio, in this case Fox Star India. The Bhanot family was always aware of the same and has in fact met the studio reps on many occasions. To imply otherwise is simply untrue.”
It further added: “All financial transactions post release have been shared with the Bhanot family immediately and in a transparent manner. Their share of the profits, which is a share of ours, has been immediately offered." According to the statement, Bhanot family's claim was a “retrospective negotiation and not as per what is signed by them years ago”.
The case will be heard in the Chandigarh High Court on Friday.
