On Sunday, Laapataa Ladies actor Satendra Soni shared details of a disturbing incident that took place during the shoot of a film in Madhya Pradesh. In a video posted on Instagram, Satendra claimed that he had been hired for a 10-day schedule but was asked to leave the project after eight days when he sought payment from the film’s director-producer, Pushpendra Singh. He further alleged that he and his colleagues were told to vacate their hotel within 10 minutes and that Pushpendra threatened to kill them. While Satendra and two of his colleagues later managed to return to Mumbai safely, the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has extended its support to the actor and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.
AICWA supports Satendra Soni after he alleges a filmmaker of abusing him
Sharing Satendra Soni’s video on X, AICWA wrote, “The emotional video shared by Satendra Soni reflects the pain and distress he says he has endured. His allegations raise serious concerns about the treatment of artists and workers in the Indian film industry. No artist or worker should have to endure such treatment. Many workers and artists allege that they are called for film shoots with promises of work, but later face delays or denial of payment and are allegedly subjected to intimidation when they demand their rightful dues. Such complaints deserve serious attention.”
Also Read: Laapataa Ladies actor Satendra Soni alleges filmmaker threatened to kill him on set
Actor Satendra Soni, who appeared in Laapataa Ladies, has publicly alleged that he was called to Maihar, Madhya Pradesh, for a film shoot. According to him, despite working for 8 days, he was not paid his agreed remuneration. He stated that he received only an advance of ₹50,000… pic.twitter.com/TwwmrtD2Xf
— All Indian Cine Workers Association (@aicwaofficial) June 28, 2026
“By publicly sharing his emotional video, Satendra Soni has brought these concerns into the public domain and highlighted the hardships that artists and workers may face. This is not a minor matter. The Government of Madhya Pradesh should take immediate cognizance of this issue and ensure a fair and impartial investigation. Every worker and artist deserves dignity, timely payment, and protection from intimidation. All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) urges the Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mohan Yadav, to direct the police to register an FIR against the producer and director based on the allegations made by actor Satendra Soni and to ensure the safety and security of film workers and artists in Madhya Pradesh,” the film body added.
What happened with Satendra Soni during the film shoot in Madhya Pradesh?
On Sunday, Satendra Soni, known for his roles in Laapataa Ladies and Mirzapur, shared a video on Instagram, claiming that filmmaker Pushpendra Singh removed him and several other character artistes from the film Pedh Palkhi after they sought payment for eight days of work. He further alleged that Pushpendra threatened to kill them. In the video, Satendra said, “I came to Mahiar to do a film directed by Pushpendra Singh called Pedh Palkhi. He had given us Rs 50000 as a signing amount. After that, he had told us that we would be paid during the shooting. It’s been eight days since we started shooting, and when we asked him for money, he asked us to pack up and leave the hotel. He even threatened to kill us.”
Elaborating on the incident, Satendra wrote in the caption, “Hello, my name is Satendra Soni. I am an actor. I went to Maihar, Madhya Pradesh, to shoot for a film called Ped Palki. The director and producer for it is Pushpendra Singh, who also made Ajmer 92. They just sent me Rs 50,000 in advance to come to shoot, and committed to make the rest of the payment during the shoot. I had a total of 10 days’ job of shooting. After 7-8 days, they didn’t pay me anything. There, I also heard people in the unit saying no one got paid. When I asked about payment, I was told to pack up.”
He further added, “Pushpendra started threatening me and said, ‘You check out from the hotel in 10 minutes, you should not be seen in the hotel, or else we will kill you.’ His wife, Pragati Chauhan, who was the heroine of the movie, also scolded and hurled dirty abuses at me. I was very scared, and as I started checking out of the hotel in fear, Shreedhar Dubey and Pankaj Sharma also came with me.”
A few hours back, Satendra Soni and his colleagues managed to reach Mumbai with the help of Maihar police authorities, actor Ashutosh Rana and others.
The incident involving Satendra Soni comes on the heels of SCREEN’s recent report highlighting the challenges faced by character actors on film sets. These range from delayed or denied payments to discrimination in the food they are served.
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DISCLAIMER: This article reports on personal accounts of emotional distress and professional hardship within the entertainment industry based on unverified social media claims. The details presented are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional or legal advice.