‘Neerja’ Producers In a Legal Battle With the Bhanot Family

‘Neerja’ producers get embroiled in a legal battle with Neerja Bhanot’s family over the film’s profits.

A scene from the Sonam Kapoor starrer Neerja. 

(Photo courtesy: T-Series)

The makers of Neerja, the Ram Madhvani film based on Neerja Bhanot, the 23 year old brave heart PanAm flight attendant who was gunned down by hijackers at the Karachi airport in 1986, are reportedly embroiled in a legal battle against the Bhanot family. Bling Entertainment Solutions Ltd and the Bhanots are fighting over the distribution of profits from the film. The film paved it’s way to the coveted Rs 100 Crore club and also won Sonam Kapoor awards galore for her performance.

Renowned photographer and film producer Atul Kasbekar, along with the other producers of Bling Entertainment, have apparently received a notice of arbitration from Neerja’s brothers, Akhil and Aneesh Bhanot, for a breach of contract.

It is reported that Bling was allegedly supposed to pay the family 10% of the film’s total profits, but has failed to do so by a margin. Initially, Bling was supposed to produce and distribute the film entirely on it’s own. However, it later tied up with Fox Star Studios as a co-producer, thus bringing down the profit margin claimed by the Bhanots.

The Bhanot family has been known to put money into social causes that reward women who have suffered social injustice, through the Neerja Bhanot PanAm Trust, with the insurance money they reportedly received after Neerja Bhanot’s demise.

Sonam Kapoor received numerous awards along with a (Special Mention) National Award, for her performance in Neerja.

(Source: DNA)