Director of blockbuster Ready not paid yet

Salman Khan who helps many ladies as well as his co-actors and friends get their rightful due in Bollywood has however chosen to keep away from helping his Ready director get his monies. Anees Bazmee, who was signed on as the director of the film for Rs 9 crore and a 30 percent profit sharing, is still waiting for the total sum of money to come through.

A source said, "T-Series head Bhushan Kumar has paid him Anees around Rs 6 crore till now. The remaining Rs 3 crore has still not been paid. As for the 30 percent of profits, Bhushan has taken no initiative to pay Anees the amount. This despite Anees having approached Kumar time and time again."

The film Ready, starring Salman Khan and Asin Thottumkal got an overwhelming response at the box office with single screens reporting nearly 95-100% occupancy in the first few weeks. In fact, the film collected Rs 13 crore (nett) on the very first day of opening. Estimated to have collected over Rs 100 crore in profits so far, Ready had been declared a blockbuster earlier this year. However, the director of the film has not had any reason to be happy about his success.

A source close to the director revealed, "Anees has approached Bhushan Kumar many times for his remaining payment. However, Bhushan has not bothered to pay up till now. In fact, Anees is really unhappy with whatever has happened with Ready."

From the very launch of the project, the director seems to have had a raw deal. First, his leading man Salman had creative differences with him.

This culminated into a fight that led to the director leaving the shoot abroad and coming back home. Later, though the issue was sorted out, problems began once the film was nearing completion. Khan who had by then taken the project under his wings, started taking creative calls leaving the director out.

Reportedly, it was Salman who worked on the postproduction and also decided which trailers get attached to the print of Ready before it had its theatrical release. And now, Anees seems to have been left out from the payment as well.

When contacted, the producer Bhushan Kumar said, "I have paid him (Bazmee) whatever I had to."

A close friend of the director revealed, "If Bhushan doesn't pay up the remaining amount within the next fifteen days, Anees has decided to take legal action against the producers."

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