THE KOCHI POST EXCLUSIVE Regd. With A/D
To 1. (Name & address of the Director) 2. (Name & address of the Producer)
Legal Notice
This notice is issued to you under instructions from my client Meghna Nair, D/o…………. address: ******************* Kochi, Kerala. My client has instructed me that-
She is professionally engaged in media industry for the last more than five years as an anchor, Video Jockey, Radio Jockey and is the top-tier performer of three successful ongoing shows on radio and TV. She is austere in her performance over these years giving paramount consideration for ethical genre. Her boldness and benevolence and commitment in her endeavor brought reputation and notability for her among the viewers and the film crew.
The first among you as the Director and second among you as the Producer had made a film titled ‘Honey Bee 2’ in which my client has essayed an important role upon your request. She was approached by one Mr. Anoop V. (Line-Producer) on behalf of the first among you and upon his request she met the first among you in your house where you narrated the role and its importance in the film and requested my client to learn New York English accent for the character and some dance for performing a break dance in a wedding reception scene. After you narrated the story, my client
THE KOCHI POST EXCLUSIVE insisted you to make a contract, for which you agreed and entrusted Mr. Anoop for further communication in this regard. Further, you promised to pay my client an amount of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh Only) as remuneration for which my client also agreed. My client further informed me that after so many days Mr.Anoop called her conveying the scheduled dates for shooting, but when my client enquired about the contract and script of her character, he did not heed to my client’s request and informed her that they have every other option for casting another person for her role. To this, my client acknowledged the same and told him to cast any person as they wish and also informed him that she will not play the role.
After this incident, she was ed by actor Sreenath Bhasi and asked to reconsider her decision. Upon further request made by Mr. Anoop on behalf of you, my client agreed to act in your film and insisted for the agreement. But till the day of my client’s shooting, you hesitated to make any contract and when my client refused to continue in your film at the shooting day, Mr. Anoop, approached my client on behalf of you and requested her that a film making is daily bread for many people and a day’s shooting expense is huge. He went to say that if my client refuses to perform her role it will result huge loss for the entire crew and further informed my client that, everything will be dealt genuinely even without a written contract. An oral agreement with the first among you, fixing an amount of Rs.1 lakh as remuneration for her performance, was entered into and thereafter Mr. Anoop gave the script to my client and explained her role as per the script. Since my client did not wish to create difficulty for other fellow workers she agreed to continue in the film.
THE KOCHI POST EXCLUSIVE After 6 days of her shooting for your film, Mr. Anoop approached her while she was costumed and touched up for her character by the costume designer, Mr. Praveen. As per your narration made to my client regarding her character, she had to sport a tattoo on her arm and the tattooing process was an extremely tedious one, which used to take several hours. My client had expressed concerns about this process but her concerns were not attended to.
While the tattooing process was on, the Assistant Director hurried to her room and asked the costume designer “e dressil ival kuninju nilkendi vannal enthenkilum kanan pattumo?” (Malayalam). My client was stunned by this statement and asked Mr. Anirudh if he was referring about her or her character. Upon his affirmation Mr. Anirudh explained that the scene is like this- “my client arrive at the hotel lobby in a taxi. She gets out and the taxi driver puts her bags on the floor. She bends down to pick it up- exposing a part of her back and stomach. When she bends down to pick it up the bags, Asif and Bhasi would watch this only to realise it’s her when she turn around. Her character would be unaware of any of this, see Asif and after greeting him proceed up to the room.” My client informed me that this scene was newly introduced intending to harm her and with the knowledge that this will degrade her reputation. She questioned the same and informed him that she is never going to do such an indecent and vulgar scene and further informed that such a scene was not in the script and if it was there she would not have given consent to act in the film.
The scene that was explained to my client in the morning of the shoot was one where the character of my client recognises the character played by Asif Ali by a picture on a mobile phone. At that point of
THE KOCHI POST EXCLUSIVE time, nothing was told to my client regarding the posture or body exposure that was planned in that particular scene.
The Assistant Director told her that this was a newly considered scene and if she is not going to do it, the first among you could replace a body double instead of my client. My client opposed to this new development and strongly objected picturing a body-double, instead of her, in a filthy way as it would make an impression to the viewers that the scene was done by my client. As my client did not agree to your demand, you asked my client to leave the set and informed her that you will convey the next schedule date, as there is a wedding reception scene to film in which my client has a role.
Thereafter you did not call my client for further shooting. As there was no information from your side, my client was under the impression that you would have recast her role in the film or would have made appropriate alterations to delete the scenes already taken. It is pertinent to note that, Mr Anirudh had told my client that she will be ed regarding the shoot on the 12th of December. Since there was no information from his part, my client ed Mr Anoop, regarding the incidents that took place and also to get an update about the progress of the shoot.
My client informed Mr
Anoop that she had the possibility of a work opportunity, at another event at the Kochi Biennale, on the same day, and she was available for shoot. But, Mr Anoop didn’t respond on this.
Few months later your film was released. As my client was under the impression that her scenes might be deleted, she did not watch the film. Thereafter, few weeks later, my client received phone calls from her friends, who watched the film- ‘Honeybee 2’, intimating her that
THE KOCHI POST EXCLUSIVE they were shocked to see my client being portrayed in the film and never thought that she would ever act such indecent scenes in films. My client was stunned by their propositions and upon enquiry she realized that her character is there in the film. My client thereafter saw the film and was mortified upon seeing that you had used a body double instead of her in the much opposed scene. It was a very vulgar scene where the entry scene of her character was done by merely focusing on her butt and thighs, as she was bending- torso and all- into the front window of a taxi. My client was so embarrassed and is so depressed upon this incident. You made and published such a scene only intending to harm my client and knowing that her character will be individually considered by the audience and it will gave an impression that she is a girl of less virtue and upon firm belief that if she is characterized in this way it will defame her reputation. My client was under the strong belief that even if you had gone ahead to include her scenes, she should have got the call for dubbing her portions, especially after you had told my client to prepare and be well versed in New York accent for portrayal of the character. But, my client was not called for or informed about the dubbing. Further, seeming to be complete disdain to my client, a highly incompetent dubbing artist was used, while my client had prepared for the same in her own time. It is also imperative to note that you did not provide my client with an accent coach or a dance coach for the preparation.
My client ed Mr. Anoop and expressed her grievance and told him to ask the first among you to delete the much vulgar scene. But my client’s concerns were not taken care of by any of you. You have cheated my client utilizing her talent and skill in your film without
THE KOCHI POST EXCLUSIVE giving any remuneration and presented my client in a vulnerable way intending to defame the reputation of my client.
After the indecent representation of my client in the movie, she had to face a lot of mental agony answering to questions raised by dear and near, people from the media industry, and different other quarters of life, after the release of the film. The damage was so severe that it had apparently eclipsed the good name and reputation my client had built through her relentless hard work and perseverance in her job, always giving predominant importance of carrying herself in the most dignified manner.
My client is very much depressed by this incident. The saga of misery she had undergone cannot be expressed in words. My client’s grievance cannot be compensated in of money. As a matter of relief I hereby call upon you on behalf of my client to make a public apology and announcement that the girl in the indecent scene is not my client and to pay to my client an amount of Rupees Ten Lakh as compensation and an amount of Rupees One Lakh as remuneration for her performance as was agreed by you, failing which my client will be constrained to take civil and criminal action against you for which you and your property alone will be liable.
Dated this the ,…..day of June 2017