The legacy of Kamaal Amrohi, who made films on epic proportions, is now stuff of a controversy, that could assume epic proportions, considering the worth of the spoils in question - a property and a business valued at over Rs 600 crore.
Shandar Amrohi, Kamal Amrohi's Son (Preity Zinta's Father?)The legendary filmmaker’s three children - sons Shandar, Tazdar and daughter Rukhsar - have been embroiled in fierce battle in Bombay High Court.
Shandar had filed a case alleging Rukhsar and her son, Waseem, have fraudulently pledged his shares in Mahal Pictures Pvt Ltd (that owns the famous Kamaal Amrohi studio) to a company in Pune. On Friday the HC ordered that Rukhsar and her son maintain status quo.
The case opened a Pandora’s box which had the world waking up to a curious family squabble. Apart from the case in HC, the 66-year-old Shandar also approached Khar police on Wednesday to file a case of forgery against Rukhsar and Waseem.
While Shandar was struggling with the cops, he found support in actor Preity Zinta, his ‘adopted’ daughter. Zinta reached the police station, tweeting all day about how it’s been 10 days since she has been trying to register an FIR. In all this, Shandar had a staunch ally in his brother Tajdar and is all set to take the case to a logical end. Preity on her part is leaving no stone unturned to help him out. Interestingly, not long ago Shandar announced that he would bequeath all his property to the actor.
That Shandar has been playing father Christmas to the actress with whom he shared no blood ties came as a shock to many. But Shandar has his reasons.
“I noticed her in Dil Se and always felt that if I had a daughter she would be like Preity, bubbly and full of life. I watched a lot of her films and grew fond of her,” said Shandar speaking to Mumbai Mirror.
He added, “In 2005 when I was at a suburban five-star hotel, Preity walked in with her friends. My wife pointed out to me that - ‘look your daughter is here’ - and I walked up to her and spoke to her for the first time.”
However, he says that it was only in January 2010 that she suddenly called him up and sought permission to meet him at his residence. He also added he kept sending her tokens of affection in form of gifts as and when he could.
“It is a spiritual bond that I share with her. It is not easy to understand that. I am not a person who will position anyone as my daughter. It is hard to explain the way I feel about her,” he said.
Shandar explained that there was something that compelled Preity to pay him a visit in January this year and that happened after she returned from a pilgrimage. “She is part of the family. She comes to our house regularly now. And I even expressed my desire that I wish to retire now as the director of Kamalistaan (Mahal Pictures Private Ltd.) and wish to settle someplace else. I told her that I want her to take over the position and do well in life. I am even preparing to make a will to this effect where I will give her everything that I have. Anyway, daughters have a right on everything,” he said.
Shandar also told Mumbai Mirror that this is a battle not for money but for justice and Preity is helping him fight it. Tazdar who is supporting his brother in the legal battle against sister Rukhsar told Mumbai Mirror outside the court premises that he is with his brother till the end. “Whoever is guilty will be brought to the book,” he said. When quizzed about Shandar’s association with Zinta, he said, “This is a fight for what is right and just. In our religion that is the biggest thing that one can stand for. You do not need to be a family member for that, she is fighting and supporting my brother for what is right. What is wrong in that?” he added.
Rukhsar, who is in London told Mumbai Mirror that she is reaching the city on Sunday and is ready to face the situation here. “I have full faith in the judiciary, now the court will only decide who is wrong and who is right. Since the case has now been committed to the court I will not comment on that,” she said. She added that she does not accept the association between her brother and the actor. “We are Shias and there is no concept of adoption in our personal law. We have never seen his daughter at his house and he has held no ceremony to inform us about this,” she said.
She said, “The first right is that of the family members, he had no right to pick up a stranger and introduce that person as a claimant in the family. This is not allowed in our law. Who is this person and where has she come from? He should have first spoken to the family and informed us about when the ‘adoption’ if at all happened and how?” she said.
Mahal Pictures Private Limited’s company lawyer, Rizwan Siddqui said that the family is creating a dispute unnecessarily when there is no provision in the memorandum of the company to sell the shares to an outsider before obtaining an NOC from the existing share holders. “In this case the share holders are family members. First right is theirs,” said Siddiqui.
It has also been learnt from reliable sources that Rukhsar has entered into an agreement to sell her shares with a renowned power broker, associated to political parties and is also having a construction business in Pune and was recently caught by the customs department for evasion of duty. However, Rukhsar maintains that her shares are still with her.
From the court
Shandar represented by senior counsel Navroje Seervai has charged the nephew, Waseem, son of his younger sister Rukhsar that he has fraudulently transferred his shares worth Rs 40 crore to a Pune-based company.
The nephew, denied the charge claiming that the shares were transferred legitimately and there was nothing wrong in the transaction. Arguing for him senior counsel Janak Dwarkadas, however, made a statement before the court that there would not be any further transaction with respect to the shares pledged with the company.
Shandar has named his younger brother Tazdar and sister Rukhsar as party respondents in the suit being heard by single judge bench of Justice Anoop Mohta. The three of them are on the board of directors of Mahal Pictures Pvt. Ltd., which has postponed its meeting of the board of directors scheduled to be held on March 9 in view of the court case. The high court has adjourned further hearing on Shandar’s plea till March 11.
Shandar had filed a case alleging Rukhsar and her son, Waseem, have fraudulently pledged his shares in Mahal Pictures Pvt Ltd (that owns the famous Kamaal Amrohi studio) to a company in Pune. On Friday the HC ordered that Rukhsar and her son maintain status quo.
The case opened a Pandora’s box which had the world waking up to a curious family squabble. Apart from the case in HC, the 66-year-old Shandar also approached Khar police on Wednesday to file a case of forgery against Rukhsar and Waseem.
While Shandar was struggling with the cops, he found support in actor Preity Zinta, his ‘adopted’ daughter. Zinta reached the police station, tweeting all day about how it’s been 10 days since she has been trying to register an FIR. In all this, Shandar had a staunch ally in his brother Tajdar and is all set to take the case to a logical end. Preity on her part is leaving no stone unturned to help him out. Interestingly, not long ago Shandar announced that he would bequeath all his property to the actor.
That Shandar has been playing father Christmas to the actress with whom he shared no blood ties came as a shock to many. But Shandar has his reasons.
“I noticed her in Dil Se and always felt that if I had a daughter she would be like Preity, bubbly and full of life. I watched a lot of her films and grew fond of her,” said Shandar speaking to Mumbai Mirror.
He added, “In 2005 when I was at a suburban five-star hotel, Preity walked in with her friends. My wife pointed out to me that - ‘look your daughter is here’ - and I walked up to her and spoke to her for the first time.”
However, he says that it was only in January 2010 that she suddenly called him up and sought permission to meet him at his residence. He also added he kept sending her tokens of affection in form of gifts as and when he could.
“It is a spiritual bond that I share with her. It is not easy to understand that. I am not a person who will position anyone as my daughter. It is hard to explain the way I feel about her,” he said.
Shandar explained that there was something that compelled Preity to pay him a visit in January this year and that happened after she returned from a pilgrimage. “She is part of the family. She comes to our house regularly now. And I even expressed my desire that I wish to retire now as the director of Kamalistaan (Mahal Pictures Private Ltd.) and wish to settle someplace else. I told her that I want her to take over the position and do well in life. I am even preparing to make a will to this effect where I will give her everything that I have. Anyway, daughters have a right on everything,” he said.
Shandar also told Mumbai Mirror that this is a battle not for money but for justice and Preity is helping him fight it. Tazdar who is supporting his brother in the legal battle against sister Rukhsar told Mumbai Mirror outside the court premises that he is with his brother till the end. “Whoever is guilty will be brought to the book,” he said. When quizzed about Shandar’s association with Zinta, he said, “This is a fight for what is right and just. In our religion that is the biggest thing that one can stand for. You do not need to be a family member for that, she is fighting and supporting my brother for what is right. What is wrong in that?” he added.
Rukhsar, who is in London told Mumbai Mirror that she is reaching the city on Sunday and is ready to face the situation here. “I have full faith in the judiciary, now the court will only decide who is wrong and who is right. Since the case has now been committed to the court I will not comment on that,” she said. She added that she does not accept the association between her brother and the actor. “We are Shias and there is no concept of adoption in our personal law. We have never seen his daughter at his house and he has held no ceremony to inform us about this,” she said.
She said, “The first right is that of the family members, he had no right to pick up a stranger and introduce that person as a claimant in the family. This is not allowed in our law. Who is this person and where has she come from? He should have first spoken to the family and informed us about when the ‘adoption’ if at all happened and how?” she said.
Mahal Pictures Private Limited’s company lawyer, Rizwan Siddqui said that the family is creating a dispute unnecessarily when there is no provision in the memorandum of the company to sell the shares to an outsider before obtaining an NOC from the existing share holders. “In this case the share holders are family members. First right is theirs,” said Siddiqui.
It has also been learnt from reliable sources that Rukhsar has entered into an agreement to sell her shares with a renowned power broker, associated to political parties and is also having a construction business in Pune and was recently caught by the customs department for evasion of duty. However, Rukhsar maintains that her shares are still with her.
From the court
Shandar represented by senior counsel Navroje Seervai has charged the nephew, Waseem, son of his younger sister Rukhsar that he has fraudulently transferred his shares worth Rs 40 crore to a Pune-based company.
The nephew, denied the charge claiming that the shares were transferred legitimately and there was nothing wrong in the transaction. Arguing for him senior counsel Janak Dwarkadas, however, made a statement before the court that there would not be any further transaction with respect to the shares pledged with the company.
Shandar has named his younger brother Tazdar and sister Rukhsar as party respondents in the suit being heard by single judge bench of Justice Anoop Mohta. The three of them are on the board of directors of Mahal Pictures Pvt. Ltd., which has postponed its meeting of the board of directors scheduled to be held on March 9 in view of the court case. The high court has adjourned further hearing on Shandar’s plea till March 11.
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