MUMBAI: The cast and crew of Hamari Bahu Silk have been waiting and protesting for the longest time urging the producers to pay them their dues. The artists have been asking for their payment for over eight months now. The producers and the channel have turned deaf ears to the situation leaving the artists feeling helpless. A source told a portal that the broadcaster has waived off the issue saying that it is the producer's prerogative to pay their talents and not theirs. Zaan Khan, in an exclusive chat, revealed that the producers have been dilly-dallying it way too much and now many of the crew members are left with no money. He also expressed what if tomorrow someone commits suicide? Who will be responsible for it? 

ALSO READ: Hamari Bahu Silk Non-Payment Controversy: Zaan Khan plans to stage another protest

Speaking about their struggles, Zaan said, "We have been following up since very long but nobody is responding. Whenever we talk to anyone concerned with the matter, they only say we are on it. Whenever we ask the producers, they say we are waiting for the association to give us a meeting, every time and it’s been more than two months since we spoke to the association. I don’t know what is taking so much time. Last time we protested outside one of the producer’s house, but she did not come out. It was not just me, I had like 25-30 people which consists of makeup guys, spot dada and more. They are all facing a financial crisis. These people are not understanding our problem at all. The other producer Jyoti Gupta is unresponsive. There is no accountability whatsoever, not even the channel." 

Expressing the distress situation, Zaan added, "I am telling you someone or the other might commit suicide owing to the situation. I had to sell off my car, I am seeing such a time where my family members are forcing me to come back home. They are concerned for me because they see all the news and are worried. I belong from a good family and moreover, if it was only about me, I would have still resisted but I can’t see the other people suffering, they badly need that money." 

He continued, "It is not just about our show, it is about the industry. I don’t see unity amongst artists here. If they see that a fellow artist of theirs is going through such a situation, it's not like they are unaware of this, but I think everyone is enjoying this show. They talk about unity, they talk about peace and support but, in-action nothing. What happened with Sushant? Now that he is gone, everyone is talking, about him. Here we are all suffering, but no one wants to talk about it." 

He also revealed that he has been losing hope every passing day. He said, "Even I have had such thoughts. In my last post on Instagram, I have written that I am losing hope and asked for help. I have made it clear that I don’t need a favour, but need them to be our voice and be our strength because I know they know the feeling of helplessness of not getting paid." 

When pointed that Nakuul Mehta on Thursday posted in their support, Zaan shared, "Nakuul and I had worked in Ishqbaaz. So I reached out to him and asked him to appeal and be our voice because he is reputed and a lot of people follow him. If they take a stand, 100 percent farak padega." 

Are they contemplating legal actions? Zaan mentioned, "The dress man, light wale, they went to the police station many-a-times, Jyoti Gupta had called for PCR van and threatened to put them in jail.

When I spoke to him, he behaved like all this didn't matter. He thought is setting an example that to become big, one needs to be like this." 

ALSO READ: They've landed us on the roads: Zaan Khan on peaceful protest against the producers of Hamari Bahu Silk.

CREDITS: PINKVILLA