Actress Sahila Chaddha has accused senior actors Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure of displaying entitled behaviour within the film industry, alleging that they look down upon fellow actors, refuse to share lifts with them and make fun of their English-speaking abilities.
In an interview with IANS, Chaddha criticised what she described as an attitude of superiority among the two actresses, arguing that professional status should not determine how actors treat one another.
“All actors are the same. There are no small or big actors. There are only good actors or bad actors,” she said, alleging that she had witnessed instances of disrespectful behaviour by Dhillon and Kolhapure.
Chaddha also recalled an alleged incident involving Dhillon, claiming that an actress who was in trouble and urgently seeking assistance was unable to reach her directly. According to Chadda, Dhillon allegedly changed her voice and pretended to be her manager, telling the caller to contact her at the office.
Actor Vikas Verma also criticised Dhillon, questioning her approach to dealing with members after becoming president of the Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA). He alleged that she was unwilling to engage with members despite having assumed the position to serve them.
Chaddha, who has been associated with CINTAA since the 1980s and served as an executive committee member for more than 20 years, also detailed the ongoing dispute within the association, alleging that internal disagreements had diverted attention from the genuine problems faced by actors.
She claimed that meetings frequently extended for two to nine hours, with important concerns remaining unresolved. Chaddha further alleged that Dhillon and Kolhapure had insulted members who raised legitimate questions or sought access to official documents.
According to Chaddha, the decision to resign was taken to avoid further confrontation and preserve the dignity of those involved. She said the majority of members attended the last legally convened meeting on August 5, where the decision to resign was recorded, and the resignations were submitted on August 7.
Citing CINTAA’s constitution, Chaddha maintained that the resignation of 50 per cent or more of the committee members automatically dissolved the executive committee, necessitating fresh elections.
She alleged that two members refused to recognise the dissolution and continued organising meetings, including an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), despite a letter from the trade union stating that the committee had ceased to exist and that any subsequent meetings would be invalid.
Chaddha also accused those continuing to function in the association’s name of misusing its letterhead, official email account, bulk messaging system and social media accounts. She said the resigning members had followed the prescribed procedures and wanted fresh elections to resolve the dispute.
The CINTAA controversy has been unfolding between Dhillon and Kolhapure on one side and Upasana Singh and other members on the other. The situation escalated after 11 members, including eight elected executive committee members, resigned amid allegations of biased decision-making.
The dispute subsequently intensified over the handling of CINTAA’s documents. Upasana Singh alleged that Dhillon and Kolhapure were attempting to remove documents from the association’s office in a tempo and said a police complaint had been filed.
Dhillon, however, defended the move, stating that the documents contained records and KYC details of thousands of CINTAA members and were being taken away for safekeeping.