Ram Gopal Varma clears 9-year-old dues of Rs 1.11 cr after crew halts Police Company shoot

Ram Gopal Varma recently settled a nine-year-old debt of Rs 1.11 crore owed to the crew of his cop drama Police Company. The outstanding payment was made after the film's crew halted production on the sets, following a request from the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE). FWICE had repeatedly reminded Varma about the dues over the years, but he failed to act until production was halted.

FWICE Honorary General Secretary Ashok Dubey explained that the federation had to take drastic measures as they were representing the interests of various departments, including fighters, spotboys, and the sound department. Once the shoot was stopped, Varma promptly cleared the dues, allowing production to resume. FWICE President BN Tiwari emphasized the importance of recognizing that technicians and daily-wage workers also have families and responsibilities, deterring them from halting shoots or causing difficulties.

In the past, Varma had also faced similar issues with outstanding dues from his films Sarkar Raj (2017) and Officer (2018), which contributed to a total of over Rs 1 crore. FWICE Chief Advisor Ashoke Pandit revealed this during a press conference. Pandit also highlighted that Varma had not honored his payment commitments for seven years, from 2019 to 2026, despite assurances and requests for an extension.