Raaj Shaandilyaa Addresses Legal Dispute With Ektaa Kapoor Over Bhagam Bhag 2 Delay: ‘An Attempt To Intimidate’

Filmmaker Raaj Shaandilyaa was set to direct Bhagam Bhag 2 with Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Manoj Bajpayee. Ektaa Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures is the producer of the upcoming film. Raaj has now terminated his contract with Ektaa's production banner. This decision comes after Ektaa reportedly sent a legal notice to Raaj Shaandilyaa over breach of contract. Here's what the director said in his statement.

Raaj Shaandilyaa parts ways with Ektaa Kapoor

Raaj Shaandilyaa released an official statement that read, “I, Raaj Shaandilyaa, had, in accordance with my contractual rights, issued a notice terminating my arrangement with Balaji Telefilms.” 

“It has now been over two weeks since the termination notice was issued. If Balaji Telefilms believed it had any sustainable legal basis to challenge the termination, it was open to them to approach the appropriate civil court,” he said.

“No such proceedings have been initiated. Instead, what has now surfaced are attempts to level exaggerated and baseless criminal allegations. These accusations are wholly unfounded and appear to be nothing more than an attempt to intimidate and browbeat after having realised that there is no viable case to challenge the termination. I remain fully confident of my legal position and will address any such allegations through the appropriate legal process,” the Dream Girl director wrote further.

Will Bhagam Bhag 2 be delayed due to the controversy?

Raaj clarified that Bhagam Bhag 2 is “very much on track and the project will proceed as scheduled.” 

He concluded his statement, “Members of the film and creative industry may take note of the manner in which such pressure tactics are being employed and draw their own conclusions when deciding future professional associations.”

Why Ektaa Kapoor filed case against Raaj Shaandilyaa

Bhagam Bhag 2 has been reportedly halted after Ektaa Kapoor sued Raaj over breach of their three-film deal contract. Raaj, who was supposed to direct the third project as per the deal, was about to helm another film outside of Balaji Motion Pictures this month.

As per reports, Bhagam Bhag sequel was scheduled to go on floors on March 2 for a 25-day schedule in Lucknow.

For the unversed, Raaj made his directorial debut with Ektaa’s production Dream Girl (2019), and also directed its sequel which was released in 2023.