Amid claims of non-payment of dues due to hike in fees paid to actors by Pooja Entertainment, Bollywood star Tiger Shroff has come forward to help a focus puller from his debut film ‘Heropanti’. Ravi Kumar, a 45-year-old focus puller, who was struggling to make ends meet due to non-payment, said in an interview that he has received financial help from the actor.

In an interview to Hindustan Times, Kumar, who is now bed-ridden after meeting with an accident, said, “My brother Prasad worked on my father (actor) Jackie Shroff’s 1994 film ‘1942: A Love Story’ where he fractured his hand on the sets. Then Jackie Sir got my brother operated upon (Jackie sir helped with my brother’s operation). Now, his son (Tiger) helped me. I was about to shift focus to ‘Heropanti’. So he came forward to help me.

He also said, “His mother (Ayesha Shroff) called me on Tuesday. Tiger might not remember that I worked in his first film. But as a human being, he still came forward to help.”

He did not disclose the amount he received from Shroff, but reports claim it was in lakhs. Talking about his plight, he said he has been bedridden for eight months, after which he can only do light work. His savings got exhausted in medical bills, and he was promised payment for the unreleased film.my husband’s wife‘, which he worked on in 2022.

Earlier, Jacky Bhagnani had admitted that Akshay Kumar had stopped his payment so that the crew could be paid as soon as possible.

Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) president BN Tiwari had earlier claimed that Bhagnani’s company Pooja Entertainment owes Rs 33.13 lakh to director Tinu Desai, who directed his 2023 film ‘Mission Raniganj’ starring Akshay Kumar in the lead role. Tiwari said Pooja Entertainment owes Rs 31.78 lakh to over 250 set workers who worked on films like ‘Mission Raniganj’, Tiger Shroff’s ‘Ganapath’ (2023) and Akshay Kumar and Shroff’s ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ (2024).