In an exclusive interview with ETimes, actor Vijay Raaz discussed the controversy surrounding his departure from the film ‘Son of Sardar 2.’ Raaz alleged that the producers are attempting to damage his reputation because he refused to return the advance payment he had received for the role.
Raaz explained that he was asked to leave the film on August 4th, but the matter has only intensified recently. He stated, “It’s because I refused to return the advance paid to me by them, and now they are trying to intimidate me. I told Kumar Mangat that we would discuss the issue once they were back from the shoot. I also told him, ‘You have wasted my time, insulted me, and damaged my reputation in the industry.’”
The actor further clarified that, according to industry norms, if an artist is removed from a film, the producers are not required to return the advance. “If I had walked out of the film on my own, I would have returned the advance,” he said. Raaz also questioned the timing of the producers’ actions, suggesting it was a deliberate attempt to undermine him. “Kumar Mangat called me on Thursday, and after I refused to return the money, they went on a rampage to intimidate me, playing with my life. What have I done—hurt their ego? But that doesn’t give them the right to play with someone’s life,” he added.
Raaz recounted his experience upon arriving in the UK for the shoot. “I landed on August 3 and checked into my very congested room and just told the executive producer of the film, Ashish, to see if I could get a bigger space as I do yoga every morning and it would be nice if I could get it. Ashish said it would be done and asked me to come to the set. You see, I am an artist and need mental peace and therefore made that request,” he said.
The actor detailed the events at the shoot location, noting, “I went to the location and proceeded to my van, there was still time for my shot. Ashish came to my van, and Ravi Kishan, who was also there, came to my van. They were followed by Kumar Mangat, who met me and 20 minutes later told me, ‘Aapki badi dikkat hai aap chale jaaiye.’ I said I would leave but he started telling me that even my spot boy’s fee was more than Ajay Devgn’s boy. I asked why he was discussing this now when it was pre-decided before I joined the film and landed in the UK. The shoot was not in India but in London; one would not discuss fees after landing on set. I had only raised the room issue and Ashish was standing right there when Kumar Mangat started talking about my boy’s fees. He didn’t stop there, he started talking about the rent of the room and I told him, it was bound to be but why should I know about it; did I ask you that we should shoot in the UK?”
Raaz also addressed media claims that he ignored Ajay Devgn on set. He clarified, “We did not make any eye contact. I was on location with Ravi Kishan and cameraman Aseem Bajaj along with the director of the film, and we were chatting. Ajay Devgn was about 25 metres away, speaking to someone, and later returned on set. I did not go on the set as my shoot was to happen at another location, and next, I saw Kumar Mangat calling me and asking me to leave the set.”
Feeling humiliated and insulted, Vijay Raaz concluded by questioning the producers’ motives, “I have achieved this stature through hard work and have built a respectable body of work. They should not play with someone’s life like this. What have I done?”
