Karan Johar in Trouble with the Law

By: Mufsin Mahbub
Looks like Filmmaker Karan Johar may be going to the doghouse. His Dharma Productions Company is now facing a lawsuit in the US for not paying local workers and actors hired for the shooting of a Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor's next venture in Philadelphia, reports an American news website.

According to the Philadelphia Daily News website, Karan Johar's production house teamed with Australia's Swish Films to shoot a few scenes in Philadelphia last autumn and then left owing money to hundreds of local actors and vendors.

Now, the two companies - Dharma Productions and Swish Films - have been sued, according to documents filed in Common Pleas Court here, the report said. The lawsuit seeks in excess of $150,000 to be paid to in unpaid services and expenses for 25 of the vendors.
Those named in the lawsuit include Fishtown bar Johnny Brenda's (owed $972), Mike Lemon Casting (owed $7,971) and Kitchen Sink Fabrications (owed $1,060). The lawsuit also needed a restraining order that would prevent representatives of Dharma Productions from leaving the US with its possessions, above all the footage already shot.

Dharma Productions, which had reportedly changed its name to Karma Films while it continued to shoot the Rensil D'Silva directorial venture, had hired Swish Films to manage production of the feature film.
The quarrel struck when a Swish producer sent out checks in December last year warning actors, vendors and crew members to wait until after Jan 9 to cash them. The checks bounced leaving more than $500,000 in unpaid bills.
Dharma has since offered certain workers half the amount they are owed in return for signing a waiver that nullifies any legal action against the company. In other cases, Dharma paid the full amount owed, including to the City of Philadelphia and Teamsters Local 107.
Dharma and Swish will be hit with more lawsuits this week, said Center City lawyer Michael H. Rosenthal, who said he will file a suit on behalf of 60 actors and independent contractors.
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