Kamal Ghorui
Producer Shailendra Singh, known for backing National Award-winning films like Page 3 and Traffic Signal, has opened up about a long-standing dispute involving Amitabh Bachchan and filmmaker Shoojit Sircar over the unreleased film Shoebite. Singh claimed he had originally developed the story under the title Johnny Walker, which was later renamed Shoebite, and accused Shoojit of reselling the project to UTV’s Ronnie Screwvala despite him having already paid Bachchan an advance of Rs 4 crore.Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Shailendra recalled how he had supported Shoojit Sircar during his directorial debut Yahaan. While the film earned critical acclaim, it did not fare well commercially. Following this, Singh began work on a new project.
“I made an idea of a film called Johnny Walker. We wrote that in our office and we pitched it to Amitabh Bachchan. He was going to play Johnny in the film. I took Shoojit to meet Amitabh Bachchan at his bungalow, Jalsa. I made him meet Amitabh Bachchan and the deal was also signed. I paid Amitabh Bachchan Rs 4 crore for acting,” he said.
‘I didn’t want AB Corp to produce my film’
Shailendra said he was shocked when he later learnt that Bachchan wanted to produce the film under his banner, AB Corp. Recalling a New Year’s Eve concert he hosted, he said, “I had a concert on December 31, where all the big names of Bollywood like Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra were present. The CEO of AB Corp came there and he told me that ‘Your film Johnny Walker will be produced by AB Corp.’ I said, ‘I am already producing the film, I have appointed Mr Bachchan as the actor for the film and have paid him Rs 4 crore and the contract is signed. I don’t want AB Corp to produce my film. I just want Mr Bachchan as an actor’.”According to Singh, his refusal did not go down well and eventually cost him both the project and his association with Shoojit Sircar.
‘After that, I lost Shoojit Sircar to Amitabh Bachchan forever’
“After that, I lost Shoojit Sircar to Amitabh Bachchan forever. All Amitabh Bachchan’s advertisements are directed by him since that day. I lost my film also,” Shailendra claimed. He alleged that the film was later made under a different title and banner.“The film was made as Johnny Mastana by Ronnie Screwvala. It was directed by Shoojit Sircar, featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Dia Mirza. The film hasn’t released till today. Why?” he asked.
Shailendra added that after discovering UTV had backed the project, he initiated legal action. “We filed a case. International studio also filed a case. Multiple cases were filed against the film. Our case is still going on,” he said.He also recalled an awkward encounter with Bachchan years later. “Then I met Mr Bachchan once on a flight, I asked him what is this? He didn’t say anything. He just smiled. He is too dignified to say anything.” Shoebite ultimately remained unreleased despite a court order in UTV’s favour in 2012. However, Shoojit Sircar and Amitabh Bachchan went on to collaborate successfully on films like Piku and Gulabo Sitabo.
