| He's mine: Ekta Kapoor |
| Caught 'n' bowled: Salil Ankola |
| Bigg trouble ahead? Sandiip Sikcand |
Will Salil Ankola become the bali ka bakra?
The actor may be quashed in the Ekta-Sandiip fight. He may have to quit Bigg Boss...
Mumbai Mirror Bureau
Cricketer-turned-actor Salil Ankola might yet become one of the early oustees from Bigg Boss, and it will not have anything to do with his fellow contestants on the game show or the viewers.
Acting on a breach of contract petition by Balaji Telefilms, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday passed an injunction restraining Ankola from appearing on any programme other than the ones produced by Balaji. Effectively this means that Ankola will have to stop appearing on Sony's reality show which is produced by Endemol.
"We have not received any notice as yet from the court but if we do we will follow the court's order," said a Sony spokesperson.
Balaji lawyer Ravi Kadam told the court that Ankola had entered into a contract to act for their serial Kasturi. As per the contract, he cannot act in any other production house or channel that makes programmes that directly or indirectly compete with Balaji Telefilms for 12 months from the day the serial was aired for the first time. Ankola had pledged in these twelve months to devote himself solely to Balaji Telefilms. However, while the serial Kasturi was first telecast on August 29 and it was decided that it would be shot over 20 days of every month, Ankola disappeared from the shoot after working in August and September . Balaji alleged that he did so to act for another show — Bigg Boss in October.
TV industry watchers say that this is the next instalment in the ongoing feud between Balaji head honcho Ekta Kapoor and Sony's creative head Sandiip Sikcand who had earlier this year quit Balaji amid much acrimony. This was followed by Ekta Kapoor saying that she would not produce any shows for Sony.
There is a clause in Ankola's contract with Balaji which says that any dispute between the two should be referred to the Arbitration Tribunal. Balaji says they will initiate arbitration proceedinga and as per the arbitrator will be appointed by some auditors. On Wednesday, reading out his order Justice D K Deshmukh said that while the matter was pending before the Arbitration Tribunal Ankola cannot act or endorse, advertise or do voice-overs for any other production house or channel other than Balaji Telefilms.
When contacted Sony officials said, "We have not received the court orders yet. But whatever the orders, we shall abide by them."
