Pankaj Bhatia, a well-known actor who recently appeared in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Heeramandi,” is making headlines for a concerning reason. Despite receiving praise for his performance in Bhansali’s magnum opus, Pankaj has now revealed that he has not received his dues from the makers of a television show for over a year.
In an 8-minute video posted on his Instagram, Pankaj Bhatia discussed his financial struggles and the importance of working with reliable production houses. He began by explaining his difficulty sleeping and reminisced about a time when channels ensured actors were paid promptly after a show ended. “In the industry, there used to be a rule according to which the channel would make sure that the actors’ dues were cleared by the makers once the show went off-air,” he stated.
Pankaj praised production houses like Balaji for their reliability, noting his six-year stint on “Yeh Hain Mohabbatein” where he never worried about payments. However, he revealed that for the past year, he has not been paid by the makers of his recent show, which was shut down to make way for a movie. Despite repeated efforts, he only received Rs 50,000, which is insufficient to cover his living expenses in Mumbai.
Following Pankaj’s video, several television actors, including Aly Goni and Divyanka Tripathi, expressed their support. Aly Goni shared the video on his Instagram story, criticizing the actor unions for their lack of action and urging Pankaj to stay strong. Divyanka Tripathi also reacted, describing the industry as “non-empathic on various levels” and advocating for better treatment of actors and technicians.
Vivek Dahiya, another co-star from “Yeh Hain Mohabbatein,” highlighted that Pankaj’s situation is not unique, stressing the need for fair pay across the industry. He shared Pankaj’s story to raise awareness about the widespread issue of unpaid dues.
In the latter part of his video, Pankaj emphasized his concern for other artists facing similar financial hardships. He questioned who would take responsibility for those driven to suicide due to financial strain and urged producers and channel heads to address this serious issue.
The support from his industry peers underscores the urgency of addressing financial transparency and fair compensation in the entertainment sector. As Pankaj Bhatia’s story gains traction, it sheds light on a critical issue affecting many actors and technicians in the industry.
