EXCLUSIVE: Vijay Raaz ousted from Ajay Devgn’s Son of Sardaar 2 – Official statements from actor and producer Kumar Mangat

As a die-hard fan of Bollywood movies and a long-time follower of Ajay Devgn’s career, I must say that this latest development with Vijay Raaz being removed from Son of Sardaar 2 has left me both surprised and amused.

Previously this week, TopMob broke the news about Ajay Devgn’s team assembling an impressive ensemble for the sequel to Son of Sardaar, titled Son of Sardaar 2. We shared with our audience that this movie will star Ravi Kishan, Mrunal Thakur, Chunkey Pandey, Vindu Dara Singh, Deepak Dobriyal, Mukul Dev, Ashwini Kalsekar, Kubbra Sait, and Sanjay Dutt in significant roles. However, in a surprising twist of events, we’ve just learned exclusively from the set that the producers have chosen to take strong action by cutting Vijay Raaz from the film.

Based on reports from those involved in production, it appears that actor Vijay Raaz has been challenging for the producers and crew of Son of Sardaar 2 during filming. We contacted Kumar Mangat Pathak, a co-producer working alongside Ajay Devgn on the project, for comment. Mr. Pathak confirmed that Vijay Raaz was indeed removed from the film due to his unacceptable behavior on set. The primary issues were his demands for larger living quarters, an extravagant vanity van, and overpaying his staff, including a spot boy who received Rs.20,000 per night, which exceeds what most major actors earn. Furthermore, Raaz demanded luxury suites during the shoot in the UK, while everyone else stayed in standard rooms. When the production team explained the financial situation to him, he became rude and uncooperative. His list of demands continued to grow without end, even requesting two cars for a 3-person staff to travel. After multiple discussions, the team ultimately decided to replace him in the film due to his behavior.

Instead of Vijay Raaz having a different story to share, let’s say that he had a unique account to relate. He conveyed to TopMob, “I arrived early at the location for the trial. Upon reaching the van, Ravi Kishan greeted me. The EP (Executive Producer), Ashish, and the producer Kumar Mangat also approached me, followed by director Vijay Arora. I stepped out of the van and saw Ajay Devgn standing about 25 meters away. Since he was occupied, I didn’t go to greet him and instead continued speaking with my friends nearby. About 25 minutes later, Mr. Kumar Mangat informed me, ‘You need to leave the film set, as we are asking you to leave.’ The only mistake on my part was not greeting Mr. Ajay Devgn. I didn’t even interact with the crew, and these were the only people I spoke with. I was removed from the film within 30 minutes of arriving at the sets, due to my failure to greet Ajay Devgn. These are influential individuals, and there’s no question of improper conduct.”

Kumar Mangat Pathak stated that the problems with Vijay Raaz began when he joined the film project in Mumbai, not during production on set. Contrary to rumors, Ajay Devgn does not expect greetings from others and prefers to be around creative individuals whom he treats with respect. The claim of Ajay Devgn’s removal due to a lack of greeting is false. Removing Vijay Raaz from the film cost at least two crores, an expense we were unwilling to incur for minor issues. His behavior was a significant concern, and disrespect has no place on our film set as we function like a family. He frequently expressed that he wasn’t eager to be part of “Son of Sardaar 2” and only agreed due to our approach. He consistently requested larger rooms, despite knowing their high cost in the UK, and was uncooperative. Such an attitude is problematic, and we did not wish to collaborate with someone holding such a mentality.

In response to the request for more space, Vijay articulated his point: “I was assigned a tiny room with little room to maneuver. As someone who practices yoga every morning, I require some extra space. With 26 years of experience in this industry, isn’t it reasonable for me to ask for this?”

Kumar Mangat expressed satisfaction with the choice of dismissing Vijay Raaz from the film. He explained that they all shared an expensive hotel room costing 45,000 rupees per night, and there was no tolerance for unprofessional behavior. Removing him before shooting began was beneficial as his presence and actions could have caused problems on set. Ajay Devgn, who has worked with numerous senior actors, never faced such issues. Although Kumar met Vijay in the vanity van on the day of filming, Vijay’s demands there were the last straw. The continuous demands, followed by a refusal to return the advance payment, led to his removal from the project. It wasn’t due to a lack of greeting Ajay Devgn; rather, it was because of unreasonable demands and mistreatment towards the crew.

Sanjay Mishra has taken over the role from Vijay Raaz in the production. This is confirmed by Mangat, as stated by the film’s officials. It appears that a spot boy associated with Vijay Raaz was accused of sexual misconduct towards a hotel staff member while under the influence of alcohol. Vijay himself has clarified that these two incidents occurred at different times and in separate locations. He has also distanced himself from the incident, stating he no longer works with the individual involved. Vijay also expressed his disapproval of such behavior.

Kumar Mangat additionally addressed the allegations of sexual misconduct. “It’s his duty to oversee his staff. Working alongside someone like that, who behaves monstrously, is unimaginable. We received an official email from the hotel. Those found guilty will face severe consequences. As I mentioned earlier, we are pleased to distance ourselves from Vijay Raaz and have no intentions of collaborating with such an individual.”

Son of Sardaar 2 is presently on floors in UK.

2024-08-16 20:23

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