TMKOC: Palak Sindhwani reacts to legal notices, claiming makers are known for harassing actors

The long-running Indian television show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has recently made headlines due to rumours involving Palak Sidhwani (who played Sonu) and potential legal troubles.

Palak Sidhwani, known for her role as Sonu Bhide, addressed the legal matter, clarifying that she had not breached any contract. She explained that when she informed the show's makers of her decision to quit, they began emotionally blackmailing her. In response, her legal team has sent a notice to the show's creators. The legal statement considers that No breach of agreement was committed by Palak, and the entire story now put forth by the production house against Palak is concocted, a bunch of lies and a false story created by the production house just to defame and harass her and cause her loss and damage. Palak denies all the allegations raised by the production house against her.    

The brief true and correct facts in relation to Palak’s exit from the show are as under:

1.The Artist Agreement dated August 21, 2019 (“said Principal Agreement”) entered into between production house and Palak pertaining to the television serial titled “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah” (“said Serial”) and the role of the character “Sonu” (“said Character”) in the said Serial.

2. Before entering into the said serial in August 2019, Palak was already working in the Indian media and entertainment industry. As such, during the period between May 11, 2019 and June 7, 2019 she had already endorsed reputable brands inter-alia such as Amul, Google, and Ferit Cricket Bash in various advertisements and also worked in web series “Hostages”, which is well before being part of said Serial. All these information is already available on social media platform and is part of public domain.

3. At the relevant time in 2019, no actor was playing the role of “Sonu”, since the actor previously playing the role of “Sonu” quit the show. As such, considering the aforesaid background of Palak, production house approached Palak in or about August 2019 wherein after discussions Palak agreed to play the role of the said Character in the said Serial and was thus made to sign the said agreement on 21st August 2019. It is pertinent to note that at the meeting with production house, Palak requested to peruse the contents of the said agreement prior to signing so that she can offer her comments on the clauses/terms of the said agreement. However, production house did not allow that and informed Palak that the said agreement is merely a standard form of agreement between Palak and production house and does not require to be looked into. She was informed that infact all the artists of the said Serial are made to sign the similar agreement.  After much insistence, Palak was merely shown the consideration clause of the said agreement and she was forced to sign the said agreement on the dotted line basis. It is also pertinent to note that while signing Palak categorically asked production house that by signing the said Agreement she won’t be precluded from taking up other assignments/endorsements because as stated aforesaid she was already endorsing/promoting various brands and acting in web series, etc. In response to the same it was categorically then informed by production house to Palak that she is free to do so without any restriction like other artists of the said Serial also used to do. Further, Palak asked for copy of the agreement but she was informed that it is the policy of production house to not provide a copy of such agreements to any of the artists and hence no copy of the said agreement was provided till 19th September 2024. Thus, she was kept in complete dark of the one side clauses of the agreement. Hence there is no question of any breach because such kind of one side agreement are against the law. 

4. To the knowledge of production house even after signing the said Agreement, form past 5 years  Palak has featured in various advertisements/endorsements/promotional campaigns with various third parties (since she was inter-alia already promoting various brands even before signing said Agreement)  which was never objected to by production house, because it was never treated as contractual bar between the parties. These endorsements in particular include endorsements for reputed brands such as Garnier, Plum Goodness, Oppo, Rapido, Dermafique, Patanjali, etc. That, all such endorsements/advertisements have been posted by Palak from time to time on her said Instagram Account and are also available in the public domain on various social media platforms. In fact, production house has collaborated on a video/reel which was jointly published by Palak and them. NO objection was ever raised by the production house for such third party brand endorsements/advertisements for the period over five years. This is because right to earn, work and live is constitutional right of a party and cannot be restrained.

5. Palak has been subjected to constant inhuman treatment on the sets of the said Serial and is being harassed by all means by production house  and its team which caused her various health issues including mental trauma. This concern about her health deteriorating was intimated to them from time to time on various occasions and she requested to allow her to take some medical leave to rest, but the same was declined by them under one pretext or the other and her such repeated requests fell on deaf ears. She also faced various issues at their behest causing serious prejudice and acting detrimental to her.

6. In view of the aforesaid, Palak during her meeting held with productions houses representative on August 8, 2024, verbally informed them about her intention to quit the said Serial and terminate the said Agreement after working for a notice period of approximately two months in the interest of the said Serial. She also requested to find an alternate replacement for the said Character during such notice period. Pursuant thereto, production house already started looking out for her alternate replacement and began taking auditions of suitable candidates. Subsequently, on September 7, 2024, she also met with senior official of production house to discuss her exit formalities, however she faced emotional torture/blackmail. During the said meeting also, Palak reiterated to them her position of quitting the show and terminating the said Agreement with effect from October 1, 2024.

7. Only after this termination and notice about quitting the show, Palak faced various harassment and torture and she was threatened of dire consequences many times. Production house thereafter began harassing and mentally tormenting her by various modes and means and made her life miserable. Subsequently in the recent past they also tried to bad mouth her and made certain false and derogatory remarks against her in the social media, which information is available in the public domain. 

8. Palak informed senior officials at production house that she is not keeping well and has been put under tremendous mental and physical stress due to the false and frivolous articles which have been published under their instructions which have made it difficult for her to perform However, production house completely brushed aside her health and other concerns and instead asked her to work with passion, and forced her to perform scenes on that very same day. As a result, on September 14, 2024, itself Palak suffered a panic attack on set, of which she informed the production team, who also did not pay any heed to her deteriorating health. Thereafter, since Palak already intimated her intention to terminate the said Agreement and quit the said serial in August 2024 itself, the representatives of production house, during a meeting held on September 18, 2024, with Palak raised for the very first time false, frivolous, baseless and untenable objection/contentions that Palak’s endorsements/advertisements amounts to the breach of the said agreement, which is incorrect. Further at this meeting, she was also threatened that the production house have the capabilities to disable her social media account and ruin her career completely Due to the harassment Palak has been put under tremendous mental pressure which has further aggregated her health condition and on 19 September 2024 doctor advised Palak strict rest and treatment by the doctor. However, despite her critical health condition production house did not allow her any leave and insisted upon her to keep shooting for the said Serial and subjected her to inhuman treatment which clearly amounts to exploitation.

9. In view of the aforesaid background, it is only on 20 September 2024 production house issued a notice through their lawyer raised various false allegation about the breach etc. Palak, through her lawyer, issued a detailed strong reply on 26th September 2024, and placed all the true and correct facts in response to the notice and reiterated her past stand of quitting the serial which was already informed to them on 8th August 2024 itself. This is misread and misinterpreted by production house and false and concocted story is put before media just to harass and torture Palak. Till date Palak is not even paid her outstanding dues which is over 21 Lakhs. This shows that production house is in breach and not Palak.

10. In fact Palak is not contemplating filing a criminal and civil case of harassment and torture against the concerned officials of the production house.