Saying I don't pay my stars is defamatory: J.P. Dutta

Mumbai, Nov 24 (IANS) A report that J.P. Dutta paid Abhishek Bachchan a mere Rs.500,000 for his role in "Umrao Jaan" has the filmmaker withdrawing into an angry and hurt shell.

"I'd not like to say anything on this. Why don't you ask Abhishek and Ash what they've been paid? Abhishek is like my own child. And I'd certainly not exploit him. What I object to is the statement that I normally don't pay my stars. That's not just untrue but defamatory. My lawyers are looking into taking action," says JP, and clams up.

His wife Bindiya, however, is forthright: "No one out here is doing anything for charity. When everyone is looking at a profit why would JP deprive his cast and crew of their just remuneration? Enough canard has been spread about him not paying his stars."

Bindiya gets emotional: "Even during 'LOC', JP was accused of not paying his stars. We kept hearing rumours of this or that star grumbling about non-payment. No one came and directly told us that we hadn't paid them. They couldn't because it wasn't true."

"Enough is enough. There's a limit to how much JP will be attacked for being who he is. Just because he doesn't retaliate, people think they can get away with saying anything. He makes his films exactly the way he wants, and with the actors he wants. If 'Umrao Jaan' hasn't succeeded in India it doesn't mean people have the right to make any statement they want."

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Umrao Jaan