Actor Rajpal Yadav landed in trouble over the payment of settlement amounts in a cheque-bounce case. He surrendered to the Tihar Jail authorities in Delhi, and his bail hearing on Thursday was adjourned. Now, filmmaker Priyadarshan has broken his silence on the issue, saying he tried to arrange higher remuneration for the actor for his next film. Priyadarshan has worked with him in several films like Bhagam Bhaag, Chup Chup Ke, and De Dana Dan.
What Priyadarshan said
The filmmaker is currently busy with the post-production of his film Bhooth Bangla. Speaking with Midday, Priyadarshan said, “I have known Rajpal for over 20 years. I saw him for the first time in Jungle [2000] and was surprised by his performance. My first film with him was Malamaal Weekly [2006], and after that, he has starred in most of my films. I told the producers [Jubilee Films] of my next to pay Rajpal more than what he charges because of his situation. We want to save him. The producers have agreed. Rajpal plays the villain in my movie.”
He added, “I knew about his problem. That’s why I kept signing Rajpal for every film. I pushed him in ad films too. The poor guy made a blunder because of his poor education. Rajpal is a good soul.”
What do we know about the case?
Rajpal Yadav surrendered in Tihar Jail on February 5 after the Delhi High Court declined to grant him more time in long-pending cheque bounce cases. The actor, known for films such as Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Waqt, Phir Hera Pheri, Partner, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Hungama and Chup Chup Ke, is facing liability of nearly ₹9 crore in connection with the cases.
The case traces back to 2010, when Rajpal borrowed ₹5 crore from Delhi-based Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to fund his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata (2012). The film’s commercial failure led to heavy losses and a financial dispute. In 2018, a magisterial court convicted the actor for cheque dishonour under the Negotiable Instruments Act, sentencing him to six months’ imprisonment — a decision upheld by a sessions court in 2019. The amount due eventually rose to nearly ₹9 crore.
Several celebrities have stepped forward to support him since the news of his jail term surfaced. Sonu Sood was among the first to publicly offer his help. Gurmeet Choudhary, Guru Randhawa and Mika Singh have offered financial assistance.
