Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 12 (ANI): Amid the ongoing internal dispute within the Cine and TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA), its President Poonam Dhillon, General Secretary Padmini Kolhapure and Vice President C.P. Thakur have spoken about the issues surrounding the association, including its frozen bank accounts, welfare activities, and the ongoing legal proceedings.
General Secretary Padmini Kolhapure spoke about the freezing of CINTAA’s bank accounts and said the situation has affected the association’s welfare work as well as the payment of staff salaries. She alleged that Upasana Singh and Deepak Parashar were behind the move.
“From the day this incident started, on the 7th, the same people were behind it , Upasana Singh and Deepak Parashar. They went to our banks, signed on plain paper, and froze our CINTAA accounts. They had no right to do this.”
“You see, our accounts have remained frozen from then until now. We cannot carry out welfare activities, we cannot help anyone, and we cannot even pay our staff’s salaries. You can fight with us, and we can fight with you. But why should our staff’s money be stopped? If the funds are not released, how will we pay their salaries? This is completely wrong,” she added.
President Poonam Dhillon spoke about the proposed MOU between CINTAA and CAWT and said the idea was discussed during the association’s AGM.
“On the 3rd, I said that during the last AGM, we had decided that there should be an MOU between CAWT and CINTAA. In 2016, CINTAA had helped CAWT, which is the Cine Artists Welfare Trust, after they were allotted this land. They had some funds. Our CINTAA member, Mithun Chakraborty, did some shows and helped raise funds. Johnny Lever also organised some events and shows, which was in 2010,” she added.
“Since then, CAWT has not carried out any fundraising. So, we thought we would help them. And when we had to make an MOU, over the last two to two-and-a-half years, we realised that whenever there was a medical emergency, they would say that they did not have funds," Dhillon said.
Vice President C.P. Thakur, meanwhile, said the dispute was not about any alleged misuse of funds. He said differences arose over the proposed transfer of CINTAA funds to CAWT and other matters, including the sharing of contact details.
Thakur explained that certain financial transactions required approval from authorised signatories.
“The signing authority rests with Deepak Parashar ji, Upasana ji and Poonam ji. Without their signatures, or Deepak ji’s signature, it is not possible. So, the matter is not about funds. CAWT wanted funds from CINTAA members to be given to them because they had spent money on the interiors and the inauguration. The two opposed it which made them angry. This is the reason behind all these problems," Thakur said.
“I want to tell you that our learned lawyer, Mr Peerzada, fought this case today, and we got this order. The order says that the election should be allowed to take place and the result should be declared,” he added.
“However, on October 26, 2026, the City Civil Court will decide whether FWICE has the right to conduct the CINTAA elections. Once the decision is made, only then will this committee be able to take its place. If the decision goes in our favour, then we will have to vacate our seats. The decision is expected on October 26, 2026,” he further added.
The dispute comes after at least eleven Executive Committee members, including eight elected members, resigned in August, citing concerns over the association’s functioning and alleged unilateral decision-making by its leadership.
Upasana Singh and other dissenting members have accused Dhillon and Kolhapure of undemocratic functioning. Both office-bearers have denied the allegations. (ANI)
CINTAA row: Poonam Dhillon, Padmini Kolhapure speak on frozen accounts, CAWT MOU, and legal battle
