Mona accuses Balaji of contract breach
By:
Upala
KBR,
Mid-Day
Thursday,
August
24,
2006
On August 12, HiTLIST reported that actress Mona Ambegaonkar had been approached by Balaji Telefilms for a new show, Karam Apna Apna. Later, there were reports that she had been chucked out for quoting an astronomical amount of money.
Mona, who is a single mother, is extremely guarded when it comes to talking about her personal life. In February, she delivered a baby girl but has refused to disclose the father's name. Now, Mona is slighted by these rumours and wants to set the record straight on her problems with Balaji.
How
I
was
approached
On
August
5,
Shalu
(a
production
assistant)
from
Balaji
called
to
ask
if
I
had
dates
from
August
20
for
a
new
project.
They
wanted
20
days
a
month
from
me.
I
said
that
I
would
give
30
days
if
they
wanted,
but
I
would
work
only
eight
hours.
She
said
she
would
get
back
on
that.
Money
was
never
the
issue.
Confidentiality
clause
I
had
a
confidentiality
clause
that
I
wanted
in
my
contract.
The
clause
stated
that
there
is
to
be
no
usage
of
my
personal
life
or
my
family
to
promote
the
show.
It
was
a
clause
to
protect
my
personal
life,
my
family
and
me.
They
agreed.
Contract
was
signed
On
August
8,
I
went
to
the
legal
department
in
Balaji
and
inserted
the
confidentiality
clause.
They
made
me
formulate
that
clause
and
it
clearly
states
that
'you
will
not
use
my
personal
life
to
promote
the
programme,
in
order
to
protect
my
interests.' Everything
else
was
perfect.
Life
is
blissful
Audition
ho
gaya.
I
was
so
excited.
I
started
preparations.
I
was
told
my
flight
to
Kolkata
(the
show
is
being
shot
there)
leaves
for
August
13
at
10
pm.
On
August
12,
my
CA
and
legal
advisor
called
me
late
in
the
evening
and
told
me
about
the
MiD
DAY
article.
(Mona
was
upset
with
the
show's
creative
head
Doris
De's
quote,
"We
adjust
with
lots
of
artistes
for
ads,
serials
and
shows,
so
why
shouldn't
we
accommodate
Mona,
who
has
a
small
baby
to
look
after?" and
Ekta
Kapoor's
quote,
"She
has
a
small
baby
and
naturally
she
would
want
time
with
her.")
He
read
it
out
and
I
went
cold.
I
said,
'Yaar,
it's
a
breach
of
contract.'
Make
Balaji
aware
My
CA
said,
'You
must
make
them
aware
of
it
or
what's
the
purpose
of
putting
it
in
the
contract?'
He
knows
I
can
be
bull-headed
about
the
things
that
I
believe
in,
but
I
don't
apologise
for
it.
If
I
am
not
that,
then
I
am
nothing.
Being
obsessive
Yes
I'm
being
obsessive,
but
it's
important
to
me.
It
will
continue
being
important
to
me
until
the
time
I'm
prepared
to
talk
about
it.
But
I
will
do
it
on
my
own
terms,
with
the
grace
and
dignity
I
think
it
deserves.
I
am
very
clear
in
my
head
about
that.
I
am
not
unprofessional
When
I
spoke
to
Doris,
she
said
that
she
meant
it
only
in
my
interest.
I
told
her
she
had
breached
my
interests.
Are
they
trying
to
milk
me
for
publicity?
That's
precisely
what
my
clause
in
the
contract
does
not
allow.
No
knowledge
Then
Tanushree
came
on
the
line.
She
said
that
she's
Ekta's
associate
and
is
authorised
to
speak
on
her
behalf.
She
then
said
they
didn't
know
about
the
confidentiality
clause.
I
said,
'If
you
don't
know
that
as
a
corporate
entity,
then
that
is
the
biggest
flaw
in
your
organisation.
You don't know about the terms of the contract of the person you are going to work with the next day?' Would Ekta have let me go free if I had breached her contract? No. It was 11.30 pm, and I was exhausted and weeping. I was not taking the flight the next day. I told Shalu, 'You have to respect me and respect the trust that I have placed in you. If you don't do that, I can't work with you.'
Meeting
with
Shobha
On
Monday
(August
14),
I
met
Shobhaji
and
explained
the
situation
to
her.
She
understood
but
said,
'Jo
kuch
bhi
bola
gaya,
fact
hai'.
I
don't
deny
that,
but
woh
fact
mera
hai!
I
will
introduce
it
to
the
world
when
I
am
ready
to.
I
told
Shobhaji
that
I
won't
be
able
to
do
the
show.
Back
to
square
one
Eventually,
we
managed
to
sort
things
out
and
I
was
once
again
scheduled
to
leave
on
August
15
for
Kolkata
on
the
evening
flight.
At
8
am,
Shalu
called
and
told
me
that
I
now
had
to
leave
by
the
4.30
pm
flight.
We
were
back
to
square
one.
It
was
impossible
as
I
had
many
things
to
arrange.
So
in
all
humility,
I
say
no.
I
knew
they
had
a
replacement
ready
(Achint).
I
didn't
feel
bad
about
stepping
out
at
the
last
moment
because
I
was
cast
at
the
last
moment.
Financial
constraints?
Paisa
aata
hai,
paisa
jaata
hai.
I've
been
working
since
I
was
14.
Work
is
my
narcotic.
I
go
for
rehearsals
when
people
go
for
parties.
I
can
have
a
fight
over
my
principles,
but
never
over
money.