Writer Harinder Sikka, author of the book Calling Sehmat on which the film Raazi was based, has accused director Meghna Gulzar of removing him “from everything” in order to make “every credit” of the film. The writer also went on to accuse her of delaying his book’s lunch, removing him from the Jaipur Literature Film Festival and an awards event. Meghna Gulzar has not responded to the accusations yet.
With a printout of an email in his hand, Sikka said during a panel discussion on Republic TV on Sunday, “I wrote Raazi and this is proof against my name by (Meghna) Gulzar. It was written to me by Jaipur Literature Festival. I was removed from everything, from Filmfare, my book was not allowed to be launched by Gulzar in person. You want me read out this email where Jaipur Literature Festival head says, ‘In my 35 years of career, I have never seen anybody bulldozing to remove one person.’ In this particular case, Gulzar is the case in point.”
He further said, “My book was tried to be delayed? Why? Every credit must go to Meghna Gulzar. First Jaipur Literature Festival, then the Filmfare Awards. The best original screenplay award was to be given to me but it was removed, it was given to some film by the name Andhadhun which was a copy of a French book because I was to be removed.”
Sikka also claimed that not just Raazi, even Meghna’s latest film Chhapaak also stole the credit from the original writer. He said, “It is not the only one, what did Meghna do further! Chhapaak. She took away that poor writer – the lawyer in Delhi, her credit away. Ask Ravi Tandon (Raveena Tandon’s father) about what happened. There is a history of mafia operating. I have nothing against nobody, it’s not my profession. This happens because I was an outsider.”
Sikka had also produced the film Nanak Shah Fakir in 2018, which went on to win three National FIlm Awards. Claiming that the film didn’t get its due, he said, “My film that was to go for Oscars – Nanak Shah Fakir was not allowed because someone came from Bollywood and said, ‘Oh he is an outsider, we were send our picture’.”
