Serious allegations against the show’s creators have put Palak Sindhwani, well known for playing Sonu Bhide in the hit comedy series Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, in the public eye. She recently made public her decision to leave the show, citing abuse and mental agony as the reason. She and Neela Film Productions are engaged in a court battle as a result of this abrupt action.
When word spread that she would receive a legal notice from the show’s creators for allegedly working on other projects without permission, tensions increased. Palak called them out on harassment and vehemently denied these accusations. She said that the crew had not been kind to her. However, she also stated that the company has not yet reimbursed her for the Rs 21 lakh that she is and she was pressured to work long hours despite being unwell.
“They never discussed any exclusivity contract with me,” Palak stated in an interview with ETimes, “but as soon as I expressed my desire to leave the show in August, the exploitation began.” They started treating me unfairly since they probably assumed that I wouldn’t wait until May to depart. When they accused me of breaking the contract, the exploitation reached its zenith. The media reports had an impact on me, but I didn’t remain mute. I kept begging to be given the formal go-ahead to quit. It was mentally and emotionally taxing; I felt wounded on the inside. I used to cry in my makeup room before gathering my courage to get the shots.
On September 18, Palak Sindhwani stated that she requested a meeting to talk about her worries. The producers charged her with breach of contract during the meeting, even though she was unaware of it until she made her departure from the show official. Palak also disclosed that she felt intimidated by their assertions at the meeting that they could quickly remove her Instagram account and bar her from collaborating with sponsors. The production company retorted that her contract was different and that she shouldn’t compare herself to her peers when she brought up the fact that other performers were also participating in brand endorsements.
She added, “Even though I was dealing with health issues, I was still shooting for them, and I had submitted my medical reports.” I begged them to take into account my situation and give me some time off, but they insisted on forcing me to film for twelve hours straight, leaving me stranded on set and unable to even meet with people or reply to their legal notice. The last six to seven days, only I know how I did it. These have been the most traumatizing days of my life, and they have been mentally harassing me. Even though my actual task only takes 30 minutes, they summon me to shoots and force me to sit for 12 hours.
In an earlier statement, Palak Sindhwani’s representatives claimed that Neela Film Productions had not given her more than Rs 21 lakh. They said the production team still expects her to work despite this outstanding amount. Palak is thinking about suing the individuals from the production company for harassment and abuse in the interim.
