New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asked actor Rajpal Yadav to make good films and entertain people again to help rebuild his image during a Supreme Court hearing on Wednesday.
“Kuch naya bana rahe ho (are you making something new),” CJI asked Yadav, to which the actor shared that during the time period he was going through financial difficulties related to the film ‘Ata Pata Laapata’, he thought of making a film on that struggle.
A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana heard Yadav’s long-running cheque bounce case tied to financial disputes over his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata.
“This is a Merchant of Venice type of case, Your Lordship. But this total was Rs 22 crore. That Rs 5 crore buried my Rs 17 crore since 2013,” Yadav told the court.
The legal dispute dates back to 2010, when Rajpal Yadav took a Rs 5 crore loan from M/s Murli Project Private Limited for Ata Pata Laapata. When the film failed at the box office, Yadav faced severe financial difficulties and was unable to repay the amount, which steadily ballooned with interest.
“Sir, 2010 se 2026 tak jo hua, uska title bhi humne socha hai, Solah Sawan Jhel Ke (Sir, we have even thought of a title for the events that unfolded between 2010 and 2026, ‘Solah Sawan Jheel Ke’),” he said.
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‘Was ready to give Rs 5 crore in 2012’
To settle his dues, he issued multiple cheques to the lender, but they ultimately bounced, prompting the financier to file seven criminal complaints against the actor and his wife for cheque dishonour.
“Sir, my respects. I have done 200-250 films. In the last 13 years, I have suffered losses of Rs 200-250 crore. At least Rs 17 crore of mine was sunk in Ata Pata Laapata,” he told the top court.
Yadav added that during the film’s release, a press conference was held against him and his film, which was supposed to release in 1,200 theatres, got stalled. The dispute has consequences far beyond the original loan.
The actor also said that he was ready to give Rs 5 crore in 2012, but “this Rs 5 crore has drowned my Rs 22 crore.”
“In the last 16 years, my branding has been destroyed, and I have been defamed,” he added.
Earlier, Yadav described himself as a student of Indian cinema and a responsible actor, stressing that his temporary financial or legal struggles should not overshadow his identity as an artist or his dedication to his career.
“If I owe money to 100-200 people in the last 30-40 years, from village to here, then it will reach their homes. Yadav, whether in trouble or in goodness, gets 500 selfies clicked at every airport,” he said.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)