MUMBAI: After news spread that a hotel in Madhya Pradesh’s capital city Bhopal had locked its gates, keeping about 60 persons, mostly from Mumbai, behind locked doors for non payment of hotel dues by the producers Alok Chaube and Sanjay Gupta, the later who is Mumbai-based retorted: “I have already spent Rs 2 crore. Everyday I am being threatened and blackmailed for money. I am not the producer, I am an investor. My investment was limited, which I have already done. Some payments got delayed We had requested Hotel Abhinandan and the other hotel to give us time till 12th January. Our main sponsors and principles are US-based and as the world knows, the US is closed for 15 days during the Christmas-New Year period. My senior officials from the Mumbai office had contacted the hotel authorities, explaining the situation to them. My Mumbai team offered a PD cheque for the entire amount, requesting for time till 12th January as companies in the US are closed till 5 or 7 Jan. But the hotel authorities were not ready to listen. They just wanted upfront cash payment,” Gupta said.
Apparently, Gupta’s office made several attempts with the hotel management to sort out the matter by handing over a PDC, but the hotel was adamant – they only wanted upfront cash.
According to Gupta, “It is a known fact that in business, 45 to 60 days credit is provided. We are legitimately registered company with all our credentials intact. This issue has been blown out of proportion. Some persons who have pending dues of Rs 5000 or Rs 10,000 including one actor and another crew member are making all the noise. This is fake news. We have made all the payments. Every producer avails of credit. There is a conspiracy behind this to blackmail me and threaten me that my name as a producer will be sullied so that I arrange the money asap. Some persons are trying to extort me. Credit is provided to everyone in business. I have paid hotel Abhinandan Rs 4.5 lakh and had requested them for time till 12 January. This is extortion and blackmail. The hotel cannot lock its gates and detain crew members. At most, they can hold my equipment, but individuals cannot be detained by hotel. The payments are being cleared by the Mumbai office. We had told them we need time till 10 or 12 January as our principles and sponsors in the US are closed till 7th January. Even the media is publishing stories without speaking to me. My lawyers are now taking legal action. Payments are being made, but have been delayed by a few days due to holidays. It is normal for payments to get delayed by 10 to 15 days during the holiday season, when people are out on vacation.” Sanjay Gupta said.
According to media reports, the 45-50-person film crew of the tentatively titled Hindi feature film Nemesis was reportedly locked in a Bhopal hotel called Abhinandhan Palace, after producers allegedly failed to pay the bill. Crew members claim the hotel management locked the gate, holding them hostage and threatening them; the situation remains unchanged till filing of the report. Officials at the producer’s office are trying to sort out the problem, sources in Mumbai said.
Speaking to reporters, a senior official from Misrod police station, Bhopal, confirmed the incident: “A serious incident related to the Hindi film industry has emerged in the city. As informed, a team of 45 to 50 members, mainly film crew and technicians involved in the shooting of the Hindi feature film, is currently stuck in a hotel. We sent a team at the hotel but both parties are not ready to file a complaint for now. As the situation persists we have deployed a constable there to watch the law and order situation.”
Sources allege producers Alok Kumar Chaubey and Sanjay Gupta failed to make timely payments. Sanjay Gupta denied that he was responsible for all the payments. “I am just an investor, I have already paid Rs 1.40 core and more.” The outstanding bill for the crew’s hotel is approximately ₹15 lakh, with payments also due for another hotel and the crew itself. Non-payment led the hotel management to lock the gate, preventing guests from leaving until all dues were cleared. Crew members allege their hardship stems from an internal financial dispute between the two producers.
Reportedly, a crew member stated that shooting began December 13, 2025, but makers only filmed for 13 days due to fund shortages. The shoot was repeatedly halted because of non-payment for crew, food, and accommodation. Since January 1, producers have consistently told the contacting crew members that “money is coming, it will be transferred in a little while.”
According to an Amar Ujala report, lead actor Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia (Bigg Boss 16 and Khatron Ke Khiladi 14 fame) left Bhopal few days back. Her team confirmed she is “safe and back” and that “the shoot is halted as of now, as the producer Alok Chaubey is missing.”
It is also reported in the media, that the director and senior members, staying at a different hotel, faced similar financial issues; that hotel issued a checkout notice on December 26, but the production house delayed informing the crew.
Actor Akshay Kharodia, an earlier cast member, stated he left after the director, Parevesh Singh, exited. He added, “I came on board with this film solely because of the director, Parevesh Singh. Once he exited the project, I chose to step away as well. From my interactions with the production, I sensed a lack of professionalism and deceitfulness. And on record I never signed any contract with them.”
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