Showstopper Web Series Faces Payment Controversy Amid Production Halt

The web series Showstopper, starring Zeenat Aman, Shweta Tiwari, and Digangana Suryavanshi, has hit the headlines again, this time due to allegations of non-payment against director-producer Manish Harishankar. Reports reveal that apart from Zeenat Aman, the cast and crew have not been paid in full. The series, which sparked controversy in January 2022 due to a viral video of Tiwari’s controversial statement, is now stalled with its last episode yet to be shot, and no OTT platform has picked it up, leading to fears it might be shelved.

Sources from the production have confirmed the payment issues, with many crew members voicing their concerns anonymously. Krishan Parmar, the official stylist for Digangana, disclosed that only a fraction of his promised payment has been made, and other crew members, including the art director and sound technicians, are facing similar issues. Despite repeated follow-ups, payments have not been cleared, casting doubt on the future of the series.

In response to the allegations, Manish Harishankar defended his position, stating that 90% of the payments from his budget have been cleared and any pending amounts are due to the ongoing post-production process. Harishankar claimed that the remaining payments would be settled once the series is sold to an OTT platform, urging those with issues to contact him directly. However, crew members remain skeptical, fearing they might never receive their due payments.

Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright