Exclusive: Savi Thakur on still not being paid for TV show Laal Banarasi; says 'I sent a legal notice to Paarth Production, but they ignored the deadline'

Savi Thakur disclosed that he has not yet been paid for his role in the TV show Laal Banarasi , which concluded in May after a year-long run. Savi revealed that he received payments only until January and is still owed Rs 7,95,000. Despite sending a notice to the show's makers, Santosh Kumar and Rochelle Singh, the dues remain unsettled for over two months. In an interview with ETimes TV, he spoke in detail about why had to quit the show and how despite several requests, he hasn’t been paid yet.

Asking for timely payment

TV actors often face the challenge of working without payment for the first three months. All I ask for is timely payment and respectful treatment, yet this experience with Paarth Production has been unlike any other I've had. Every other production house I've worked with has been positive and professional.

His Personal Struggles

I am still awaiting full payment from Paarth Production for my work on their show (Laal Banarasi). In the channel meeting, I told everyone about my mother's critical health condition and the personal problems I was facing and pleaded with the producers to pay me timely after I leave the show. They said, "Don't worry about it, we already know about it. We will pay you all on time after all you have given so much to the show." These promises proved to be empty as they began avoiding my messages and eventually stopped responding altogether.

Taking Action Amidst False Claims

After waiting for 8-10 days with no response, I took action and published an article about the situation. Paarth Production retaliated by falsely claiming that the show's cancellation was due to me. I had to leave the show because of my mother’s health and some personal problems and although they tried to find a replacement, they failed. The show ended due to an email from a senior actor, not because of any issues related to me. Despite my sincere efforts, the production house chose to defame me rather than address the payment issue .

Legal Notice and Poor Treatment

I sent a legal notice to Paarth Production, but they ignored the deadline. Despite my continued efforts, I received no payment. The head of production eventually took my call and responded poorly, questioning my decision to take action. I requested my payment while managing family matters and asked if I could collect it the next day. Instead of a straightforward answer, the HOP gave nonsensical responses and falsely accused me of not showing up at the office the next day.

His Frustrations

While dealing with my mother’s health, I continued to plead for my payment. The HOP directed me to contact Santosh Singh, who verbally abused me in an inebriated state. With the help of some writers and my co-actor Kuldeep Singh, I managed to secure only 25% of what I am owed. They have since stopped responding to my calls and messages.

Discontent with the Production House

This is the first production house where I’ve encountered such severe issues. They have a reputation for settling payments at only 50-70% of what is owed and have previously failed to pay individuals from their past shows. The first article about them triggered a series of problematic responses. Many who spoke out have been intimidated into silence with settled amount, and some directors and DOPs still await their payments as they disagreed to such settlements.

Ongoing Concerns and Emotional Toll

The prolonged delay in receiving the payment and the producers’ disregard for my situation have taken an emotional toll. I am deeply concerned about receiving the remaining payment, while they seem focused on personal vacations. The producers were aware of my mother’s health issues, yet their treatment of me has been inhumane. This situation involves labor exploitation , tax fraud and mental harassment. The production house's false claims can be substantiated with screenshots, emails, and recordings. If anything unfortunate were to happen to me, this production house would be responsible for the distress and suffering I’ve endured.