In the latest news, two stories involving Bollywood personalities have emerged, concerning actor Akshaye Khanna and actress Neelima Azeem. One involves allegations of contractual breach and unprofessional behavior against Akshaye Khanna during the making of the film Section 375, while the other sees Neelima Azeem opening up about her divorce from Pankaj Kapur.
Writer-director Manish Gupta has publicly condemned Akshaye Khanna for allegedly breaching his contract during the production of Section 375, a courtroom drama released in 2019. According to Gupta, Khanna signed the film in 2017 for a fee of Rs. 2 crores, even taking an advance of Rs. 21 lakhs. However, Gupta claims that Khanna then allocated the dates committed to Section 375 to another project, The Accidental Prime Minister, and went to London to shoot that movie, leaving the Section 375 crew idle for six months. This, Gupta asserts, caused substantial delays and financial setbacks for the production.
Adding to the controversy, Gupta alleges that upon returning from The Accidental Prime Minister, Khanna demanded Rs. 3.25 crores, a significant increase from the originally agreed-upon Rs 2 crores. Gupta also accused Khanna of attempting to seize control of the film and pressuring producer Kumar Mangat Pathak to remove him as director. Gupta stated he did not succumb to the actor's demands and that most Bollywood directors often bend to star egos. Legal notices were exchanged, and while Gupta threatened court action, the matter was reportedly settled out of court. Interestingly, Kumar Mangat Pathak is now reportedly facing similar issues with Khanna on Drishyam 3, even taking legal action against the actor. Gupta retains sole credit for the story, screenplay, and dialogues.
In a separate development, veteran actress Neelima Azeem has shared insights into her divorce from actor Pankaj Kapur. The couple, who married in 1979 and have actor Shahid Kapoor as their son, divorced in 1984 when Shahid was only three years old. Azeem explained that the separation stemmed from the distance that arose between them after Pankaj Kapur moved to Mumbai to further his career, while she remained in Delhi. She noted that it may not have been a good idea for Kapur to move to Mumbai without her and, later, without Shahid.
Azeem clarified that Kapur had consulted her before moving and she encouraged him, but managing life in different cities proved difficult. She also reflected on the broader circumstances, suggesting that they were very different people and that the "vibrations" of their lives were not in sync. Despite the challenges, Azeem harbors no regrets, expressing that she has Shahid and Ishaan, and wishes everyone well. Azeem later married Rajesh Khatter in 1990, and they had a son, Ishaan Khatter, before their divorce in 2001. Pankaj Kapur is now married to Supriya Pathak.
