Sunny Deol has been accused of breaking several film obligations after receiving advance payments.
Sunny Deol is the target of alarming accusations of cheating, extortion, and forgery made by film producer Sorav Gupta (of Sundawn Entertainment Pvt Ltd). The real estate developer turned producer Sorav Gupta claimed in a press conference earlier this week that Sunny had taken money from him in advance to film a movie in 2016, kept taking more money while he promised to start the project, but ultimately never finished it after his most recent movie, Gadar 2, became a big hit.
Sorav Gupta said that he agreed to pay Sunny Deol ₹4cr to star in his movie in 2016. “We paid him ₹1cr in advance, but he chose to make Poster Boys (2017) rather than begin work on my movie. Despite my repeated requests for more money, my ₹2.55cr is currently in Sunny‘s account. In addition, he forced me to hire an executive producer, book Filmistaan studio, and pay money to another filmmaker.” according to Sorav Gupta.
Additionally, the producer claims that in 2023, Deol falsified a contract with his business. He reveals, “After reading the agreement, we were shocked to learn that the beech wala had been changed. Jahan par fees ka amount ₹4cr ko badha kar ₹8cr kar diya aur profit to ₹2cr kar diya.”
During the same press conference, filmmaker Suneel Darshan, who is best known for films like Janwar (1999) and Andaaz (2003), defended Sorav Gupta and claimed that he had experienced the same problem with Sunny Deol. “Sunny only paid a portion of the rights to my 1996 film Ajay, which she obtained for international release. Sunny asked me to work on a project with him, saying, ‘Have faith in me, help me out,’ and got me to pay him again,” Suneel Darshan continues. “The balance payment never came through.”
Under condition of anonymity, an industry source, Deol has a reputation for breaking deals he signs with multiple producers. He has a long history of stirring up problems. A producer in Mumbai built a massive set for a movie named Ram Janmbhumi, which Sunny had handed him the bound script for. Sunny agreed to pay ₹5cr for the project. However, after delivering a hit film, he later declined to visit the sets and wanted ₹25cr in remuneration (Gadar 2, 2023).
Sorav Gupta discloses that he has reported Sunny Deol to the police. On April 30, the police sent Sunny a notice. According to Sorav Gupta, his staff sent a letter stating that he was out of town on the day he was supposed to appear.
